


Omega to alpha (and all letters in between)

by Kabochan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Stiles Stilinski, Character Death, Derek Hale is Not a Failwolf, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Good Peter Hale, Hale Pack, Loss, M/M, Slow Burn, Stiles is packless, Stilinsky Pack, Werewolf John Stilinsky, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, but just for a while
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-09-29 09:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 34,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17201267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kabochan/pseuds/Kabochan
Summary: His paws hurt.The trees passed in a blur, he stopped worrying about branches long ago, as soon as his father howled in pain and alarm as he urged Stiles to run.The whimper left him before he could stop it. Tremors were starting to run through his back.When he realized he was slowing down, he shut down.No.Don’t think about it. Not now. He had to get help. He was the only hope for his pack.So he ran.He winced every time he dug his paws against the ground, they were bloody raw by now, there wasn’t enough time to let them heal, so the wounds just kept digging deeper and deeper.But he couldn’t – he wouldn’t – break down now, not now when he was so close to the border.It was just after the river that marked the limits of their territory. He just had to get there, then everything would be fine.Right?





	1. Chapter 1

His paws hurt.

The trees passed in a blur, he stopped worrying about branches long ago, as soon as his father howled in pain and alarm as he urged Stiles to run.

He wasn’t following his eyes, because he wasn’t that familiar with this forest.

He wasn’t following his heart, because all it wanted was to turn back and protect his family, his pack.

The whimper left him before he could stop it. Tremors were starting to run through his back.

When he realized he was slowing down, he shut down.

_No._

Don’t think about it. Not now. He had to get help. He was the only hope for his pack.

He felt the bond linking him to the others was getting weaker and weaker as he put more distance between them.

He had to focus on following the only thing that was still remarkably standing among the chaos. He had to follow his wolf.

So he ran.

For the rest of the day, through the night until the sun started to rise again.

He winced every time he dug his paws against the ground, they were bloody raw by now, there wasn’t enough time to let them heal, so the wounds just kept digging deeper and deeper.

But he couldn’t – he wouldn’t – break down now, not now when he was so close to the border.

It was just after the river that marked the limits of their territory. He just had to get there, then everything would be fine.

Right?

He shook his head once more, trying to shake off the bad feeling crawling inside his guts.

With the last of his strength, he forced his legs to propel him upwards and over the river.

He almost didn’t make it, his body hit the rocks and he scrambled feeling the cold of the water splash against his tail.

Giving all he had, he threw his head back and howled loud and clear, conveying all distress he could in one single sound.

When he felt it dying down his throat, he heard an answering howl, then his legs gave out and he slumped to the ground feeling consumed and wired at the same time.

His tongue felt weird and too big in his mouth and he could only listen to his frantic heartbeat and how his chest hurt as it rose and fell in a panicked pace.

He had to get up.

He couldn’t just lay here while his family was back there.

God, his _family._

He started whimpering again. The sounds being forced out of him while he desperately tried to get up again.

He still hadn’t managed to stead his trembling limbs when he heard the sound of paws running in his direction.

It showed how much he was gone that he had only noticed them when they were that close, usually he’d have picked them up by smell long before.

Summoning a strength he didn’t possess, he jumped to his feet.

They had an alliance going between packs, but Stiles felt too vulnerable and raw to feel comfortable and safe around anybody who wasn’t pack at the moment.

He swayed on his four legs, fighting against his own collapsing body.

The alpha surged first, bursting from the bushes, alert and guarded. When the two betas surged afterwards, immediately running towards him in sympathetic whimpers, Stiles couldn’t help but growl a bit in warning.

They stopped dead in their tracks, emanating shock and confusion.

But Stiles wasn’t in his right mind, not right now. He needed space and time to correct his attitude or this would end up in a bloodbath.

He shook his head again. Harder.

His trembling legs gave out again and now he knew he wasn’t getting up anytime soon.

His eyes didn’t leave any of the wolves before him, though, as he watched the alpha command them to stay put as she walked towards him, slow and calm, she emanated _concern_ , _calm_ and _friend_.

That was better. His body relaxed a bit as she nudged him with her nuzzle, a familiar gesture that helped him clear his head.

He whimpered as he forced himself to shift back.

The process was slower than usual and he could feel every single bone protesting as he tucked the wolf away and let his human self come forward.

When he was done, he gritted through his teeth:

\- Hunters. My pack. _My family_.

His voice came out so broken hearted, his scent filled with so much despair that the betas behind actually flinched back a little.

The alpha in front on him stared back and her scent changed.

It smelled like resolution.

He left a relieved breath and let the exhaustion take over.

He knew the Hales would help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, I watched Teen Wolf long ago and kinda dropped it.  
> I always saw lots of fics about the series, but it never sparked my interest. Until it did.  
> Then my life was sucked by it.  
> Now apparently I can't stop writing (and reading) Sterek, I've got four more stories in progress and I just gave up trying to finish all of them before posting, so I'll just post things as I go.  
> Hope you enjoy it :)


	2. Chapter 2

Stiles woke up feeling the thread being ripped away from him.

He screamed, he _roared_ with all he had, feeling the pain of having his alpha, his _dad_ , fading away all of a sudden.

Then his mind plummeted in a spiral of horror and agony as he felt the others threads being snapped away, cut from him one by one.

His eyes only saw red and he felt the pull to protect them spring him upwards. He had to get to them, they were fading, they were _dying_.

He didn’t get anywhere though, as firm hands pushed him down, but he wasn’t having none of it.

He trashed and snarled against the restraining claws against his chest.

Until he could feel the last of the threads, the weakest and youngest of them all, tingling before vanishing completely and Stiles world went still and silent.

Alone couldn’t encompass all he felt, but at the same time it was the only name for it.

All will to fight left his body instantly.

He curled in himself, missing the warmth of his pack, he whimpered brokenly as he recalled their scent and their voices.

He drifted away clutching desperately to his memories, feeling his wolf clawing its way out, but Stiles stubbornly clung to his human form as darkness took his consciousness again.

 

A loud noise startled him awake.

\- Cora! I told you to let him be! – a whispered voice urged from somewhere in his left.

He tried to move his head in the direction, but his neck felt too stiff and he groaned when he tried to move the rest of his body.

He was laying in fetal position, his muscles tense and clenched. He was hurting all over.

His eyes felt puffy and his legs felt like he was run over by a fucking truck.

He knew people were talking but he couldn’t bring himself to pay attention, his focus was on his pack. Or the lack of a pack to be more precise.

He winced when he tried to reach out and feel them.

Nothing.

His wolf was whining in miserable, constant noises as he tried to sit up.

\- Stiles.

He flinched and growled when a hand fell on his shoulder.

\- Hey, hey it’s me. Look at me Stiles.

A soothing voice.

\- Look at my _eyes_.

A familiar face.

He blinked, withdrawing his hostile wounded wolf back.

\- Aunt Talia? – he croaked, voice low and raw.

She smiled at him, warm and patient.

\- Yeah, that’s me. Can you tell where you are? – her hand caressed his shoulder in a steady pattern. Her alpha surging forward in soothing, confident vibes.

He shifted in his place, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

His eyes analyzed his surroundings, examining the couch he was, the beautiful rug on the ground, then the wooden thick walls and finally the attentive eyes surrounding him.

Cora stood behind the couch while the whole pack was there.

Stiles felt the uneasiness tensing his limbs again, as he tried to scramble further from them.

\- Hey, hey, shhh, it’s fine. You’re fine, do you remember who we are?

The steady voice brought him back. His mind felt a bit clearer when he turned to her again.

\- I’m in Hale territory. You are Ms. Hale and we are allies.

\- Friends – she said with a smile.

He wanted to smile in answer to her as well, he still felt too drained to do anything but nod in agreement.

Hale and Stilinsky were more than allies. If a pack was a single wolf, when two packs got as close as Hale-Stilinsky got, then these two wolfs would form one giant pack.

\- I’m sorry – he muttered, feeling embarrassed as he remembered his previous behavior.

\- No, it’s ok pup, you have nothing to apologize for. We understand – her smile got and edge of sadness as she asked him – What happened?

Stiles shuddered, his wolf squirming at the fresh dark memories.

\- They’re gone – he whispered, closing his eyes and trying to reach out in the silence once again – I’m the only one.

He could hear how someone took a sharp breath in. How in a corner of the big living room, shock, confusion and grief exploded in one big, overwhelming wall of a scent.

He chocked when it hit him, fueling his own wave of emotions responding to it, but he refused to open his eyes, still trying to grasp for anything in the dark.

\- Stiles, honey, I’m sorry, but I need you to tell me what happened – he remained still, letting his tears roam free, and only opened his eyes when he felt hands touching his face – Please.

He understood. Talia was the alpha. She had to protect her own pack. And to do that she had to understand what had happened to his family, to know what was the threat.

So he recounted how he ended up by the river, so scared he didn’t recognized her, broken, packless and exhausted.

\- We were just setting camp down when Anne heard them – oh God, _Anne_ , she was just a kid, she was so brilliant, such a cute, smart young cub, he had to pause for a moment and steady his voice again – she heard three people coming towards us. We didn’t know at that time. She was scared, but we had nothing to fear, we had already paid our visit to the local pack, they knew we were passing through, we told them as we always do.

“We had announced our moves to the Alliance as well. We thought it was only a coincidence, people doing climb mountain, tracking or whatever. And we kept unpacking and doing our usual stuff, getting ready for the night. But then we realized they weren’t going away, on the contrary, the were following the river, but as they went through the exact same path we took earlier, they suddenly changed their direction. Now they were coming _towards_ us. Dad thought it was unusual, but besides feeling a bit uneasy, we finished getting settled and just prepared ourselves for an unexpected visit – he drew in a shaky breath, he felt in the verge of laughing his nerves off, half mad with regret and loss – it was too late when we realized they weren’t coming towards us, but _for us_. As soon as they got close enough, we got a whiff of wolfsbane and ash and _hatred_. One minute everyone’s frozen, then dad startles us to move. We do, but we aren’t fast enough, they’re closing in already, bullets had started flying in our direction, we had only noticed three at first, but when we tried to look for an escape route, we realized we were surrounded by all sides with at least thirty all around – someone whimpered to his left and he felt his body shaking as he relived the horror of last night – they got all of us before we had any real chance to do anything, we were all lined up and they were about to start executing each one of us, one by one, when Liz reacted – Liz, one of the two humans in their pack, well, not exactly full human, she had a bit of magic in there – she threw them off guard with an explosion and hell broke loose – Stiles’ voice wavered at this point – we all tried to stick together and protect each other, but... But we knew we wouldn’t be able to hold for long, so my dad... – he gulped remembering how it felt, the desperation so thick in the air he could taste, pouring out of everyone, everywhere – my dad drew all of the hunters to himself and told us to run. To just... Run – he could still see the last look his dad threw him, it was firm and confident, and scared and hesitant, he didn’t understand it at the time – We did, but I couldn’t... there were too many of them, they were picking us one by one again. Not me though – he said fiercely, feeling the fire and the rage that burned inside him then flick to life now again – I kept running, I didn’t look back, I- I needed to get help. I-needed- ”.

He chocked, feeling the rage die as quickly as it came.

He failed.

He was too slow.

He couldn’t save anyone.

And now he was the only one alive.

\- We’ll help – Talia’s strong voice cut through his fog of guilt and sorrow.

She was staring at him with clenched jaws and cold determination set in her eyes.

\- How? – he asked, feeling the tears bursting out again – pack’s gone.

Her gaze softened and she brushed his hair, giving off comforting vibes.

\- Not all of them. I still see you here.

He huffed, closing his eyes again, feeling drained once more.

For now, he would mourn, let himself get swallowed by the mute darkness once more and drift away. His mind was promptly enveloped by dreamless silence.

When he woke again, he wasn’t in the big living room. He was moved to one of the spare bedrooms of the Hale house.

He recognized it as the one he usually stayed when they came over some weeks ago.

He appreciated it, because it still smelled faintly of him, and any form of familiarity was welcome at the moment.

His body was back to normal, his muscles weren’t aching anymore and he knew if he tried to use his legs and stand up, he’d be able to do it without a single problem.

Except... He didn’t want to.

His wolf curled inwards as he felt the numbness falling over his body as a terrible heavy blanket.

That’s how he stayed in bed.

For days.

People came in and left food and water for him.

He ate and drank only when he had to use the bathroom, which was the rare occasion he really didn’t think he couldn’t hold anymore and he still had enough consciousness to feel bad when he thought about dirtying Ms. Hale’s sheets.

Only full moon managed to drag him out of his hideout.

But he still couldn’t bring himself to even leave the house.

He got up, feeling restless and wired, and just roamed around the house. Everybody was out, running in group as he heard their howls echoing deep in the forest.

Eventually he settled in the library, he grabbed a random book and tried to convince himself he was reading, when he was actually longing for his family. The moon called to him and he wanted nothing more than be able to howl back at it and hear his family join him.

He was well versed in the difference of all existing types of wolfsbane when Talia came back with the rest of the Hale pack.

She knew he was in the library, all of them could sense him as well as he sensed them, but nobody bothered him. They were all very respectful of his grieving and stayed clear of him.

Stiles supposed it was time to show some gratitude, after all he was done being a useless piece of werewolf meat already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obs: This wasn't beta read, any mistakes will corrected as I spot them.


	3. Chapter 3

At first all the Hale pack was confused and surprised to see Stiles up first hour in the morning, he wasn’t his usual babbling self, but he still exchanged more words with them that day than he did all weeks he was holed up in his bedroom.

Laura looked very surprised when he volunteered to accompany her in the early patrol.

Talia looked like she was expecting it and nodded them to go.

Stiles stuck to Laura and silently helped her cover the area, working as effectively and thoroughly he could.

They met at the opposite border of the Hale territory, she was fully shifted... He wasn’t.

Since he saw himself packless he felt out of balance, he felt uncomfortable under his own skin as if something inside him was out of alignment. He couldn’t shift and he didn’t feel like it actually.

Laura didn’t question him as she shifted back, changed to her clothes carefully hidden in a tree as Stiles politely waited with his back turned to her and they made their way back to the house.

Then Cora eyed him with a raised eyebrow when he helped her with her studies on herbs and roots in the afternoon.

At dawn he helped the youngest with their training, although he declined when they all asked him to join them in a hunt, puppies still a bit too excited after a full moon.

He went to sleep feeling tired, but a _good_ tired. Yet it still wasn’t enough to tamper down his loss and he drowned in grief and frustration and self-loathing before giving himself to the darkness again.

Next day he woke up and did it all again.

And again.

Then again.

Three weeks had passed and although he felt better than just wasting away in his bed, he always felt like shit at the end of the night when he retreated to his bedroom and only the moon watched him back, he couldn’t help but redirect all anger and hot blazing hatred towards himself.

He thought nobody had realized tough, so he almost fell face first when Laura casually mentioned it.

\- I can feel it you know. Your anger at night.

He stared at her in surprise, then let his polite mask click back in place. She frowned.

\- I don’t mean to pry, I just want to... Help.

Stiles didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything.

He had to lose all his family to learn how to shut up.

\- It wasn’t your fault, you know that, right?

On the other hand, it apparently took from him all control he had over his wolf.

He growled before he even realized he was doing it and felt his body shifting in a blink.

Two minutes ago, he would swear he wasn’t unable to shift if his life depended on it, now he was quickly going to the other extreme.

She gasped, stepping back as the wall of _fury, loss_ and _regret_ hit her nose.

\- _Don’t_ – he managed out, before he took a deep breath and tried to think of his family as his usual anchor.

Except... Except it wasn’t working.

Stiles started to panic, feeling the wolf gaining him, as thinking of his pack only fuelled his temper and bringing the sour taste of wild in his mouth.

He wheezed, straining against himself, mind racing, trying to figure something else.

His dad.

_His dad watching him from afar, while Stiles ran away, leaving him behind to die_.

Ok, no. Not his dad.

The little ones.

_The pups all bunched against each other, Charlie was 16 and he held Anne in his arms, while trying to scramble away from the nearest hunter._

No!

He fell to the ground, hands balled up in fists as he felt the involuntary shift inside him.

His mom, he thought desperately.

_Her eyes, her playful eyes as she made his megazord levitate and fly around_.

_Yes_. His mom.

His breath was ragged as he came back to himself.

\- Stiles?

Laura smelled a bit hesitant, but not scared. The worst had passed.

\- Sorry, went a little out of myself – he managed, still breathless.

She helped him get up and they stared at each other for a moment, before she dropped her gaze and mumbled:

\- I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have... I went too far.

He shrugged, he knew she was genuinely trying to help.

\- It’s fine, I got what you were trying to do, I guess it’s just... Too early for me.

He thought it would always be too early for him to get used to the idea of losing his pack.

She nodded understanding and he tried not to cringe as she emanated waves of pity and concern.

Everything felt too raw and unreal without his ties to his pack. Like a naked baby chick without anything in the world to protect it. A fanged, giant, angry, naked baby chick.

She started to move towards the house again, but he didn’t move.

\- You coming?

\- I’ll stick around a bit more. See you in a minute.

He waved her in what he hoped was an assuring way and left out a deep breath.

Then he turned around.

\- Will it help if I say I would have run instead of hurting her?

Peter chuckled as he stepped from the shadows.

He had always been the sneakiest of all of them. Stiles only managed to notice him because he was very sensitive to smells and since the hunters, he was also very sensitive to his surroundings.

\- You’re not in trouble Stiles.

He narrowed his eyes.

\- I almost lost it, right here, right now.

Peter smirked in a relaxed stance.

\- But you didn’t.

Stiles huffed.

\- I was on the verge of doing it.

\- But you didn’t.

\- _Almost_ did it, Peter.

\- And yet you didn’t – the man almost sang the words.

They would stay here forever the way this was going.

\- What’s your point? – he tried changing his tactic. Although Peter could be fun to hang out, when he and Stiles butted heads, it was always hard to get a grasp on the older man. He liked too much to poke people around.

Peter just smiled easily.

\- My point is: You’re a fresh alpha out of the oven, young, inexperienced, angry and unstable. And yet you wake up every day, makes pancakes for my daughters, helps every single wolf in this house _and_ manages to not lose his shit even once since this started. I say you’re pretty stupid if you can’t see my point by now.

Stiles stared at him in confusion.

Then realization.

What.

\- What? – he mumbled faintly – alpha?

Peter rolled his eyes at him.

\- That’s all you got from what I just said?

He smelled Talia rather than heard her.

\- Cut it out Peter. Leave the boy alone. He needs time to heal.

She ushered him inside, while Stiles’ brain still caught up with Peter’s words.

\- I’m no _alpha_ – he spit the word with all hatred he had.

His _dad_ was the alpha. Not him.

\- Even if you say that your eyes are pretty much red right now.

He turned to her, eyes rounded with surprise when her cellphone clicked and she turned the screen to him.

Yep. Very red eyes. Very scared, frightened, big, red eyes.

He felt a tremor shake all his body as he slowly moved to the ground.

He had to sit down for this, otherwise he’d just collapse and lay down in the grass for days again.

\- I’m not ready for alpha – he squeaked out, then he looked up and stared at her in horror – How am I even here?!

She shrugged and smiled at him.

\- No. I’m serious, how are you even ok with me being here? I’m a fucking stray alpha in the loose – he frantically scream-whispered as if scared somebody else would notice he was an alpha and chase him out of Hale territory.

\- Language – she lightly reprimanded him, before sitting on the ground with him.

She looked up to the stars and seemed very contemplative.

Stiles thought she was absolutely insane. Everybody knew how dangerous strays were. Packless werewolves who didn’t really belong anywhere. It was so easy for a stray to transition into rogue. Especially an alpha stray, without a pack by their side it was easy to drift away and lose themselves.

But then Talia threw a warm arm around him. A gentle gesture followed by a friendly reassuring squeeze. Stiles immediately relaxed with the touch.

He realized he was much more touch starved than he imagined.

\- Does this threaten you Stiles?

He frowned, as he thought about it. His wolf felt... At ease with the contact.

\- No... – he said unsure about where this was going.

\- You see, you may be an alpha from another pack. But that doesn’t make us automatically enemies. I don’t see you trying to get my betas, challenge me or even show any signs of instability.

Stiles made a sound of disagreement.

\- I mean _real_ , serious, mind shattering instability, Stiles.

\- But that doesn’t make any sense, aren’t strays a natural threat to packs?

She looked at him slightly amused.

\- Are you a threat to my pack?

He revolted at the idea.

\- Of course not! I’d never-We’re all-I’m-

Then he frowned. Talia smiled at him.

\- So you’re saying the alliance still stands? – he asked, mind still wrapping over the fact he was an alpha now.

\- As solid and strong as ever – she said, reaching for his hair and ruffling it fondly.

He felt the corners of his mouth twitching up. Maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm realizing these first chapters are way shorter than I thought, so I'm posting the first five now to compensate :)


	4. Chapter 4

Days passed by.

Stiles felt better as Peter and Talia helped him get a hold of himself as an alpha and regain the control he lost when he gave himself over to the grief. They trained, guided, they helped.

The Hale pack was beyond nice towards him, they didn’t push him out of anything, not even pack related activities, they actually always casually invited him for _everything_. Patrols, training, researching, learning, hunting or just a coffee and a talk.

Stiles felt grateful for not being left out, but he also couldn’t understand it.

The Stilinsky and Hale pack had been allies over many years, but Stiles thought it wasn’t _that_ old and cemented to make all of them just accept him like that.

It had all started with his father, his mother and himself. Although he was literally inside his mother at the time.

They were going to his aunt’s home, his mom’s only sister. They did the trip often enough that the Hale pack was familiar with them, not friendly, just distantly respectful and familiar.

Stiles knew all those details because every time they stayed at the Hale’s, Talia and dad would recount the tale, making all their kids roll their eyes.

There was this time where his dad, instead of waiting at the border for someone to greet him, as they usually did, went straight inside, going for the heart of their territory.

Before he could reach their house, though, Talia stopped him, her husband with her, both emanating concern and alert, unsure if they were a problem.

Noah had disarmed them with his following words, though:

\- Her water broke, I-we don’t have where to go, the hospital-I can’t take her there-They will-

At this point Talia had already stepped up and helped them get to the house.

The Hale pack was only their family back then, not this huge, strong, single minded pack now. When they got inside, Laura, the oldest, was just a kid, and Cora, the youngest, was but a few _days_ old baby. He still thinks Talia Hale is the most badass person he’s ever met, because she had recently given _birth_ and only days after, she was up and running to the slight sign of trouble. Werewolf healing be damned, he was sure that wasn’t a feat to take lightly.

He remembers how his dad would always thanks Talia and Robert at this point and how his mom would grab his hand and kiss his head when they remembered how they called a trusted doctor in town, but it was no use, because apparently Stiles decided he had to come out and say hi immediately, since his mom had literally had time to get to the bed and lay down, because contractions.

It took almost two hours for the doctor to get there.

At that point only Talia had managed to hold her ground in the bedroom, as his mom had threatened every single male in the room, because she was currently cursing the whole class of men in the Earth for all the pain she was going through.

When the doctor came in, she eyed the man as she wanted to jump to his throat and squeeze the life out of him.

Talia swore she never saw Claudia that furious ever again.

Well, except maybe once, when Stiles decided he could develop a natural resistance to wolfsbane if he exposed himself to it in tiny doses from prolonged times.

Eventually it all ended up with baby Stiles screaming to the world and both packs smiling at each other.

After that there wasn’t much to think. Stilinsky and Hale formed an alliance and had each other’s back from time to time when the situation asked, there was nothing that bonded packs more than their cubs.

Even when both packs started to grow in numbers, they never really disputed anything, maybe it also helped that their territories weren’t actually that close, but Stiles liked to think their parents just befriended one another and bonded over the years.

Still, it bugged him that everyone was so willing to accept his sorry ass in their house.

When he asked Malia about it though, she shook her head as if he had completely missed the point of something – which he almost always did.

\- Stiles, you may not be formally pack, but you’re still family. You’re like a cousin to me.

Stiles had a hard time wrapping his head around it.

To him family and pack had always been a synonym. It felt weird to treat it as separate things.

Sure, he knew not all packs were family packs, some were about power and dominance, others just lacked trust, not all packs were good to their wolves.

He realized then that he couldn’t stay here forever though. He would have to go out and form his own pack or remain a stray until he turned rogue.

He shuddered at the thought of getting another pack that wasn’t his own family.

It felt like betrayal, like he was abandoning them one more time.

When the subject came up during his mentoring with Peter and James, the third in command after Talia and Peter, they were having none of his depressing whining.

\- Stiles, it’s ok to miss them, but you know you can’t keep feeling like this and cornering yourself like you’re a stray.

He huffed in impatience.

\- I _am_ a stray.

\- Of course not, you have us – James piped in with his usual warm self. God, the man was all heart by the way he was letting out comfort to try and get Stiles out of his own head.

\- Still doesn’t change the fact I don’t have a pack and don’t intend to get one.

Peter crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at him, arching an eyebrow.

\- Are you telling me you’re planning to stay like this for the rest of your whole life?

\- Yep – he said, popping the p in the end, while crossing his arms as well in a very childlike stubborn manner.

\- You do know your dad was preparing you to succeed him as alpha, right?

Stiles sputtered at that.

\- He was _what_?

Peter smirked at him, God he got so _smug_ when he was in a secret.

\- He was training you Stiles, a couple more years and you’d be the alpha. He knew you had it in you.

Stiles mind was racing. He always thought Parrish would succeed as an alpha, he was second in command after all. He was older, more experienced.

\- But I thought, Parrish... I never... – he trailed, feeling his mind reeling with questions.

James shrugged.

\- Parrish never wanted to ascend. He always said leadership didn’t suit him, maybe that’s why he was so good at being the right hand.

Stiles nodded faintly, still processing their words.

Then Talia spoke up. Voice soft, but firm.

\- Stiles, your dad has been training you since you turned 18. All those visits to other packs, your presence in alpha conferences, you even had an exchange or two with the Alliance, didn’t you?

Stiles felt light headed. His dad was training him. Even now, when he was gone, he was still taking care of him.

His eyes shone with tears as he glanced at Talia.

\- Yeah, I did. He took me everywhere. But he’d always say it was better to drag me with him, than leave me by myself. He said I got into too much trouble if I was left alone for too long.

He smiled softly, remembering how his father always said those words with an amused glint in his eyes.

\- And he’s always asked your input in pack meetings or push you weird duties out of nowhere?

Stiles nodded, feeling so many things clicking in place.

How he was always finding himself babysitting the kids, all the other adults trusting him to keep them safe, despite him being only a normal beta in the pack. Cubs were deeply cherished and would always be left on the care of the most reliable pack members.

At the time he’d thought it was because he was the one more hesitant to shed blood, so he had figured his dad was being understanding by letting him stick to the kids and stay behind when there was a threat ahead.

Now he didn’t feel so sure of what was his real place in the pack.

\- But I suck at the whole “fighting to protect your territory” thing – he said, feeling utterly confused.

Everybody knew how he hated the part where they ripped others’ throats and bathed in enemy blood, even his wolf seemed indifferent to this part, which Stiles always thought was odd, since well, it was his inner _wolf_ , it should yearn for the whole bloody part, didn’t it?

Peter eyed him knowingly and asked, in a cryptic voice:

\- How did you feel about protecting your pack, though?

Stiles gulped, feeling the fire slowly crawling under his skin again.

He spent countless nights remembering the night the world went silent around him. How he tried to go to them, how his wolf burned bright and furious when they felt each of them disappearing one by one. Like lights dying in a void sky.

\- Yeah... I get it – he croaked, trying to tame the way the shift loomed over him.

He was getting better at controlling it again.

It still sucked feeling like he reversed back to a teenager again, quick tempered and prone to baring his teeth at the slight mention of his family.

Peter and James nodded, both bathing Stiles in their reassuring scents giving how proud they were of him.

\- You’ll be fine, kid – James said while ruffing his hair out of place.

He huffed, but smiled.

Yeah, one step at a time.

He could do that.


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles was out running with the Hale pack, it has been almost three months since the hunters, since his pack.

And he was finally finding himself again. He spent the last few days contacting friends and allies to let them know what had happened and calm them down. It sucked having to deal with their house and other paperwork.

Talia had respected him and held back the word from other packs. But it wasn’t like they were doing nothing about it either.

For the past weeks Stiles and a bunch of betas from the Hale pack were sweeping the area, slowly inching closer to where he had last seen his family.

They were investigating who these hunters were, since they were clearly disrespecting the treat regarding the Alliance and the werewolf community.

Stiles and Talia weren’t stupid, they knew they had to come with solid proof on the Stilinsky pack. The Alliance consisted on the fairest hunters, representing all the other hunters, interested in peace and avoid more unnecessary war between both races, but they were still hunters and trust was a hard thing, slowly built with time, something that was still happening among wolves and humans along decades.

They had to find something, any clue to convince the Alliance this was an unjustifiable attack from hunters to a peaceful pack that hasn’t spilled any innocent blood.

Hence going back to investigate.

No matter how much he was preparing for the moment, it still killed Stiles a second time when they reached their camp.

A considerable time had passed since he fled the chaos, but the heavy scent of despair and death clung to the place. The remaining of their ripped barracks, their cars missing, their luggage half buried by leaves and dirt.

He almost lost it when he saw Anne’s Pooh miraculously intact, despite stained with blood and dust.

Their bodies were burned and buried somewhere near, Stiles staggered to the place his nose pointed him to and he fell to his knees right where he could smell the traces of his pack mates buried. They smelled wrong, like ashes and death.

A wound opened in his chest breaking him the same way it did that first night. He clutched to the ground beneath him.

His wolf wanted to get revenge and break each bone of all those monsters, tear each of their limbs apart and let them bleed to death, hunt them in a dark cold night and taste their terror and horror as he picked one by one, the same way they did to his family. Fire filled his veins the same way it did when he struggle with the shift.

The Hale pack felt his pain and instead of letting him be or even making a move to restrain him, they came closer and touched him in sympathy.

His wolf subsided and let the anger burn full force before dying completely at once.

He felt his body shifting back. He didn’t even realize he had half transformed.

His body felt weird and his mind even weirder, both were quiet and collected as the last bits of rage drained out of him.

He and the wolf were on the same page again, finally.

Scenting the death of his pack, seeing the destruction left behind and hearing the loudest silence he ever heard felt like something had clicked inside him.

They were gone, no amount of fury would bring them back.

His wolf curled inwards, but growled in anticipation.

He’d get the ones responsible for this.

After the despair of that terrible night, he felt he had finally stopped running.

He felt like himself again, and the wolf huffed approvingly.

He sniffed, not caring if he was a grown ass man whimpering like a pup in front of a dozen of other grown ass people.

They were done mourning.

The pain was still there, a dull ache he knew he’d never forget, not completely, but Stiles knew what had to be done and he would live and strive, because he wouldn’t give them the fucking satisfaction of withering away and rot to death.

He refused to be consumed and blinded by his fury.

His dad had taught him better.

After acknowledging his oblivious training with his father, he remembered the painful time when his mother was taken by sickness and slowly faded away, until they had to bring her to a human hospital and let her die a painless death.

He remembered his father. His wolf crying, howling in the moonless night. How he left them for a week, before returning with deep dark circles under his eyes, looking broken, but determined.

Right then was when Stiles learned the importance of anchors. His father made sure to teach him all about mourning, loss and how violence riled the wolf up, but tore their human side apart. His quiet words had sunk in and that was probably when Stiles became so avert to violence.

His wolf took longer though.

As a teenager he battled his own instinct and found himself lashing out in random bursts of temper as his wolf rebelled against the loss of their mom. He wandered too far, pried open stuff meant to be sealed and buried deep stuff meant to be out.

It took his dad getting hurt to make the wolf come to its senses as well.

Stiles and his wolf walked as one again now, and he rubbed his face clean and started to walk around the camp, trying to get something, anything, to bring back as proof for the Alliance.

They spent all day in the woods, some of the local pack had joined them, they knew something very wrong had happened in there, they could tell werewolves were buried there, but they weren’t close enough to the Stilinsky pack to recognize them, when they heard the truth from Stiles though, they were eager to help.

Nothing like this had happened in a while and their shock was understandable, everybody had gotten used to more peaceful times.

It was almost dawn when somebody picked something up. A faint smell, almost lost to the wind and time.

It was hardly a strong lead, but Stiles was good at picking up scents, he closed his eyes and let his nose lead him to the weak source of the wolfsbane and cooper smell.

They ended up near a lake, miles away from the camp. A pendant lay by the shore, firmly stuck between rocks.

It shone silver and red and Stiles picked it up, recognizing the symbol.

The Argents’ crest.

Nobody wanted to believe when he showed them the silver symbol.

They ran all the way back, an uneasy feeling settled among all them.

Talia expected their return and her brow furrowed when they showed what they found.

Any concern she had, she muffled while she announced this was a matter that required an alpha meeting before they started anything too harsh, nobody wanted war again.

When all left to their own rooms and houses, Stiles stuck around, he didn’t feel ready to rest yet, his mind was jumping everywhere, running to different conclusions and implications.

He and Talia were sitting in silence while she looked at a map, trying to figure out the best place to get all those alphas in one place and avoid an unnecessary carnage if things got too heated between packs that weren’t exactly friendly with each other.

\- You’re different.

She said with a matter of fact voice tone, without looking up from the map.

He eyed her in surprise.

Yes, his wolf and himself had reconciled once again and sort of moved on, but he didn’t think it was _that_ noticeable.

\- Was done with moping around, I guess – he shrugged, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

\- You were done with moping around two months ago, Stiles – then she looked at him, her eyes flashing red for a moment – this is different.

He gulped, he felt an itch to flash his own eyes in response, but he refrained.

\- A good different, I hope? – he squirmed under her intense gaze.

She kept her stare fixedly on him, he could feel the air around Talia changing, the usual firm gentleness she held when she was around pack whirled and transformed into challenge and defiance.

That’s when his wolf finally came forward, his eyes flashing for a second and a low growl letting his lips, answering the challenge, before he stepped away horrified.

\- I-I didn’t-

She was smiling at him, wide and proud, and the gentleness came forward again.

Why was she smiling at him?

\- It’s ok Stiles, that’s good actually.

\- What? How is challenging you a good thing? – he thought it was very justifiable that his voice wavered in a high pitch. This was freaking _Talia Hale_ , she had one of the most unified packs ever, one of the biggest packs in the country, other alphas sook her advice, and she had just _challenged_ him. And he _responded_.

\- I was pushing your buttons, you just pushed me back – she raised an eyebrow at him and he wondered if that’s why all Hales were apparently prone to that eyebrow move – that means you’ve finally accepted your alpha status.

He left a relieved breath out, but grimaced.

\- Don’t do that again, please.

She eyed him sympathetically.

\- Even if I don’t do it, others will. They will want to test you. To us you’re a trustworthy ally Stiles, but others might think you’re just a delusional stray, looking for crazy reasons to justify the loss of a pack, they don’t want to go against the Alliance and if you don’t prove you’re capable, they’re not going to listen to you, no matter if I back you up.

He sighed, he knew that too.

\- They’ll see me as a stray about to turn rogue, just like I said back then? – he asked, feeling dread coming up his spine.

She nodded, but put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

\- You’ll be fine, we just need to work more on your scowl and transform your sarcasm into something actually useful.

He smirked at that.

\- Scowling and useful? Have you met me? I’m a useless ball of sunshine.

She laughed, but Stiles knew his training was going to intensify from then on. The alpha meeting was marked almost three weeks from now, and Talia had called the biggest pack figures in the community, the ones who influenced all the smaller ones and were friendly or respectful enough to listen and come when invited.

Still, Stiles was grateful for the Hale’s alliance. He was only one wolf without a pack, without them he would be at loss at what to do and how to convince others to even listen to what he had to say about the hunters.

In order to get some alpha game into his stubborn beta mind though, they started to drive him insane.

The fastest route was challenging and poking him around, until he learned how to impose himself naturally, Peter said.

That’s how he got the entire pack teasing him and getting under his skin all day long. Talia especially managed to always bring forward his grumpy alpha side.

He was even thrown into training with the older betas, instead of the young cubs, to exercise his alphaness properly, they said. Stiles sometimes thought they were having too much fun while teasing him though.

Meals were insufferable, _everybody_ started to try to steal his food, he had to literally swallow all he could before somebody tried to snatch whatever was left on his plate.

They tackled him out of nowhere when he was out patrolling and Laura took a liking to scaring and pranking him when he was distracted.

Kale, one of the youngest cubs, always took it further than the others and had fun attacking and pranking him in the most inopportune moments, Stiles had already given up chasing the little wild thing by now.

Cora drove him insane with only words though. They knew each other for long enough that she knew what to say and _when_ to say to make him rush towards her, trying to shut her running mouth.

From the time he woke up to the time he went to bed he had to be alert, in a few days he was the most exhausted he had been since the hunters.

And yet he couldn’t deny it was the most fun he had in a while.

Talia huffed in frustration at him when she realized his wolf saw most of the attempted challenges as _play_. Only her wolf could evoke a true alpha reaction out of him, and it still was a very contained reaction, dimmed by the respect he held for her.

Even Peter was taking personal offense at Stiles lack of acknowledgment of their attacks and was starting to get more... Forceful in his efforts.

One night, when Stiles was training with the betas, the man jumped out of nowhere, half wolfed out, going straight for Stiles’ throat.

His wolf perked up, but Stiles only dodged and pivoted around, landing a solid kick to Peter’s sides and effectively bringing him to the ground. He was becoming a pro at fast evasive reactions.

 

\- Goddammit, Stiles! – Peter complained, while getting up, hair full of leaves.

The betas laughed out loud and Stiles smiled triumphantly.

\- You were supposed to get me to submission, not _nudge_ me sideways – the man hissed, wildly patting his own clothes.

Stiles shrugged.

\- I don’t want you to submit to me.

Peter narrowed his eyes at him.

\- That’s the problem, we’re all too close for you to take this seriously.

\- You say as if that’s a bad thing.

\- It is when the other alphas come here and find a stupid docile stray dog as the only proof of the destruction of a whole pack.

Stiles was also familiar with the game of words. Peter was an expert at making people snap when he dug deep in their nerves, but Stiles discovered his alphaness didn’t bring extra threatening vibes, but an unusual alphazen state.

\- Then I guess I’ll have to convince them with my irresistible charm, charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent – he finished with a flair with his hand.

Peter blinked at him, then growled.

\- Did you just make a reference when I was trying to rile you up?

The betas laughed harder, because this time Peter was the one losing his shit.

Stiles smirked, dodging when freaking Kale came flying from a bush. The boy was getting good at disguising himself in the forest.

Peter caught the boy midair and grumbled to go inside, it was dinner time.

Later Talia approached him as he did the dishes.

\- You know, Derek is also coming for the meeting, he’s getting here a bit earlier.

He almost dropped a plate, his soaped hands slipped and his wolf perked up, suddenly _very_ interested in the conversation.

She watched in amusement as he started cleaning the plate with renewed vigor.

\- Good for him – he choked out, feeling his cheeks burning.

God, it had been _years_ ago. He and Talia’s middle child grew up together, they hung around every time Stilinsky pack passed through Hale territory and Stiles spent days running around with Derek.

Well, he mostly spent days running _after_ Derek.

He was such a stupid kid, for some reason he always clung to Derek’s presence, with their age difference he could never keep up with the older boy and ended up being left behind while he ran ahead with the older Hales.

That brought him and Cora together real fast. And if his infatuation with Derek hadn’t lingered until he became a teenager, he was sure their parents would tease them both about the amount of time Cora and Stiles spent together.

As a young werewolf, of _course_ Stiles was clueless about how obvious his crush was. The elders never teased him too much, but Laura was a pain in the ass when he was fourteen and all he could do was drool when Derek entered the room.

Derek himself chose the safe route and just ignored all of it.

Wise decision, if Stiles could, he would have done it as well, as he were, he still couldn’t help but linger after the older wolf. Never taking any real action, though. He knew he was way out of his league with Derek.

That still didn’t stop him to transform into a beam on light and happiness if Derek just asked him to pass the salt.

God, he cringed so much when he remembered how oblivious he was.

Things changed when Derek turned eighteen though.

Stiles didn’t hear the details, but he knew something terrible had happened when they arrived at Hale territory and Robert and Emily, Peter’s wife, weren’t there to greeted them with Talia.

She looked like a hardened woman then, expression serious and sad scent.

It had been a shock to know their pack had been attacked and some didn’t make it.

Talia didn’t go into many details, but Stiles knew Derek’s absence was linked to whatever had happened with them, because nobody talked about him for a while when he had asked.

Their scent turned heavy with sadness, regret and guilt, so Stiles stopped asking.

A part of his shock was to hear Talia bringing up her only son so casually. It had been years since he heard she talking about him at all.

\- He’s got his own pack, you know. He’s an alpha himself – he turned to her in surprise.

She held a bright, proud smile and Stiles understood her.

Spending so much time watching him, Stiles always felt there was something weird about the way Derek held his position in the pack. It was almost like he hid his real potential sometimes.

Stiles would watch with a frown as Derek let other betas win over in training when he sensed Derek could have definitely get them down in no time.

He showed that strength every single time when serious duties were involved, like patrolling the borders or hunting some creature that shouldn’t be lurking in their forest, then he was relentless, strong and beautiful. Stiles still remembered how mesmerized he had been when Derek came out of the forest carrying the body of a crazed vampire that ended up in Hale territory, he emanated power, victory and confidence.

All things he seemed to make a conscious effort to not be.

He realized Talia shared the same point of view when he huffed in frustration as Derek ended up in the ground one more time when he clearly could have knocked out the other beta and she shared a look with him, a concerned, confused look of a mother unsure of what was happening to her kid.

Knowing Derek had also become an alpha made Stiles smile at her too.

Maybe, finally, he had gotten over whatever held him back before.

\- That’s also good for him – he said in a quieter tone, allowing himself a small smile.

That night he left for patrol by himself with his head in the clouds, Derek always had that effect on him. Laura was exhausted after a particular tough day at work, so he told her to go to bed earlier and went out, feeling at ease under the stars, protected by the shadows, guided by the moon.

He was finishing the first round, thrumming with enough energy to double back and take a second lap at the territory, when he caught a scent in the wind. It was a faint, delicious smell that made something inside him tingle.

It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up and got his wolf restless. He looked around, feeling the sudden urge locate the source of such scent.

His instincts were whispering at him, making him sure someone was watching his steps, following him in the woods. His feet felt glued to the ground and he felt a rush of excitement.

If he was the one being chased or the one doing the chase, he wasn’t sure yet.

The scent was stronger on the right, but he turned his back to it and resumed his usual pace when patrolling. The presence was deep in Hale territory, whatever it was, it either had the permission to roam freely on werewolf territory or it was so stealthy and dangerous, that it went unnoticed by them.

He still felt the prickling sensation burning at his back, but he resisted the urge to turn and growl.

He knew what he was doing, that was called _luring_ and his wolf approved.

The growing impatience clawed through him the whole way around Hale territory and Stiles kept his attention focused on potential threats outside and his stalker getting increasingly closer as he finished his round and made his way back to the Hale house.

Now he could tell it was another werewolf, his nose could even feel the curiosity and excitement the other wolf was emanating. He wondered who was that. It wasn’t a scent he caught on every day, and yet it was strangely familiar. A weird sense of nostalgia made him hum in wonder.

When he was on the top of the hill just on the left of the house he stopped for a moment, easily spotting his shadow at somewhere directly behind him in the corner of his eyes.

He turned fully to his prey and felt the immediate smell of shock and disbelief.

_Got you –_ he thought, grinning, suddenly sprinting down the hill, going as fast as he could, almost laughing at the thrill of the chase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ook, so I just posted first 5 chapters.  
> Sorry for the cliffhanger, next chapter we'll switch pov and get to see a bit of Derek and the pack.  
> I'll probably keep posting more frequently until January 7th, then I'll get back to work and things will slow down again :/


	6. Chapter 6

Derek left Beacon Hills with two cars filled with werewolves and apprehension eating his guts.

It had been almost eight years since he left Hale territory and officially became the black lamb of the family, the lone hermit.

Many things had happened since.

He didn’t plan on saving a bunch of teenagers when he could barely take care of himself. He didn’t plan on a pack. He most definitely didn’t plan on becoming _alpha_.

And still here he was, carrying five werewolves, one kitsune and one banshee with him, in a meeting with all the old faces from his past.

He was only going because he knew something serious happened. His mother wouldn’t call so many of them for nothing.

It involved the whole werewolf community and while he wasn’t anywhere near his mom or his dad, his pack still managed to cause some noise out there. Noise enough to warrant an invitation to the meeting.

It was either this or his mom was playing dirty to get him to come home again.

Both were a fair possibility.

\- So, what are we doing here again? – Scott asked for the eleventh time that afternoon.

If it was anybody else, Derek would already have lost his patience. But it was puppy eyes Scott, who tried talking to him to relieve some tension, when he should know by now that talking only put Derek further on edge.

\- Alpha meeting – he decided to give a real reply this time, trying to soften his tone.

At first, their pack had been just disastrous. Nobody trusted him, he didn’t trust anybody, the bond among them was unstable and weak.

They were terrible as a pack mates, he was a crappy alpha. But after so many battles fighting for each other and saving each other’s lives, Derek supposed they were finally growing close. He was really trying to open up, but his wolf still maintained the others at arm’s length and even his human side hesitated while dealing with the whole sharing thing.

Their pack was four years old, but when they interacted, he realized they looked as they were just a bunch of young cubs bumping at each other. Not that he wasn’t trying to correct that.

\- Wait, you said this was a werewolf community thing, not an alpha thing – Scott frowned, looking at him with inquisitive eyes, big inquisitive eyes.

He sighed.

\- Well, I’m telling you now this is an alpha meeting – he kept his eyes on the road, he knew he had to stop holding so many information from them, but he just didn’t know how to tell them stuff sometimes. All times.

\- If this is an alpha meeting, why did you have to take all of us with you?

Scott was clueless in many areas of his life, but he had the strange ability to be the most perceptive person in the world when someone wanted to hide something. And he did it without even realizing he did it.

He sighed again, this time he closed his eyes and evoked patience from the old gods.

He supposed he had to tell them sooner or later.

\- Because my mom wants to meet all of you.

Now even Boyd, Isaac and Erica were staring at him from the back seat.

When he could almost hear Scott’s brain tangling around in the shape of a big question mark symbol right at his forehead, he completed:

\- My mom is Talia Hale, she’s the one who called everybody in the first place.

The reaction was instantaneous. He was assaulted with questions and exclamations immediately.

\- Your mom?!

\- Dude, you’re son of _the_ Talia Hale?

\- I didn’t know you were a Hale, like _Hale_ , Hale _._

\- You could’ve told us sooner! I would’ve brought something.

\- Why does she want to see us?

\- How come we weren’t invited before?

Derek huffed, but answered each of the questions with an amount of patience he achieved after years having to deal with this bunch.

\- Yes, it’s _that_ Talia Hale, no, you didn’t need to bring anything for her, I honestly don’t know why she wants to see all of you and we were invited before.

With his last answer silence fell again.

By now they also learned to tell when he was being seriously pissed off, sad, tired or just angry at something that wasn’t them. They knew when they had to back off and when to push him, it took a few steps on landmines for them to achieve this level of nonverbal communication, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

\- It’s great we get to go this time, then – Scott broke the silence with a smile. The others relaxed at the apparently avoided landmine.

Sometimes Derek didn’t know what he would do if Scott hadn’t been bitten by that stupid alpha rogue. He knew exactly what to say to get the others to calm down.

Derek didn’t say anything and worry crept back into his mind.

Sensing his tension, Scott turned to him again and asked carefully:

\- Isn’t it good? Coming back home?

Still too perceptive for his own good, Derek thought to himself.

\- There’s a stray staying with their pack. An alpha stray.

He decided to lay this for now. It wasn’t exactly the whole thing weighting in his mind, but it was a good part of it.

This time it was Erica who piped in.

\- What? Why would they do that? That’s just like storing a ticking bomb.

Derek really couldn’t understand it as well.

\- They said he was an ally, a friend of the pack. They didn’t tell me anything else, so I think this is related to the reason of the meeting.

A heavy silence. Everybody was thinking the same thing, but Isaac voiced it.

\- You don’t think the reason he became a stray is the reason they called the alphas?

Derek still felt a pang of proud every time Isaac spoke up. It took a long time to get his confidence boosted enough to convince him his input was important as well.

\- I hope not.

But all of them felt the way his worries increased, so they left him be.

His mom was compassionate, but she didn’t extend a hand to all lost souls in the world. Derek could count on the fingers of a single hand all the packs she’d take in if something serious happened and they became a stray.

And he didn’t want to think of any of the familiar faces of his childhood becoming packless. One in particular, but he wasn’t letting himself think too much about that.

He was nervous enough with facing his family again after he left.

With so many thoughts and worries in his head, he thought the trip would be long and tense.

But before he knew, they were turning at the nostalgic dirt road and getting closer and closer to the Hale house under the light of the moon.

\- How come we didn’t have to check in with anybody? – Scott asked when he realized they were approaching their destination.

\- I let them know when we crossed beforehand.

Just as they were parking, he thought he saw something darting to the forest. Down the same path they used for patrolling when he was younger.

Guess some things never change.

They all left the cars and Derek didn’t even have the time to warn them before Talia came out of the house.

As soon as she came close enough, they felt the pressure of her presence, like an iron fist looming upon their heads. Instantly they all shifted and fell into the usual formation.

Two betas at his sides and three around the girls.

Talia didn’t stop her stride and all of them growled in warning.

Except Derek, who growled in annoyance.

\- Mom, stop it, c’mon.

She fixed her gaze on him, eyes flashing intense bright red.

He rolled his eyes, but eventually flashed his own for a brief second.

After a beat her stance changed completely and she smiled cryptically at him.

\- You also need to take some lessons at alphaness, although at least you have the scowling thing figured out already – she said while touching the frowny part between his eyebrows fondly.

Erica snorted at that and they all shifted back, confused and amused as their alpha huffed in a rare display of _embarrassment_.

Talia turned to them with a soft smile.

\- I apologize for the scare, I was just making sure I knew what this pack is made of – her smile broadened at them and she led them to the house while exchanging pleasantries.

Some of the Hale pack were there to greet them and Derek smiled when he saw his sisters.

No matter what had happened, it was still good to see them all grown up and changed standing by the staircase, looking strong and beautiful.

He hugged both of them and ruffled Cora’s hair.

Talia formally presented both packs to each other and after a brief moment of confusion, because they were both technically called Hale pack, they sealed the alliance just as a matter of formality and were led to their rooms in the guest wing.

It was weird staying as a guest in a house he grew up in. But he supposed he’d rather stay with his pack instead of in his old room apart from them.

He stared at the room at the end of the corridor, the door was closed and Cora skipped it when she assigned their places.

When he asked, she just said it was occupied already, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

He tried not think too much about it, but he had already deduced that was the stray’s room, their smell was stronger there and he could scent it everywhere around the house and around his mom’s pack.

He wondered why she wasn’t bothered by an alpha stray spreading his scent all around the heart of her territory, but the lingering scent had him distracted enough to make it difficult to focus for long enough to theorize.

A memory seemed on the verge of popping in his head, he couldn’t pinpoint places or faces, but he felt a familiar thing squirm inside his chest.

Trying to shake it off, he made sure all his pack was settled and comfortable for the night, they weren’t tired from the trip but he could see they were unsure of themselves in a weird place surrounded by unfamiliar wolves. That usually meant threat and problem, so they were still reluctant in the environment.

He understood their will to just stay in their own bedrooms and rest, usually it wasn’t a good idea to throw a foreign pack in the heart of another, bigger one. But his mom asked him to stay with them and he couldn’t really say no to her after so much time apart. In the end he figured his pack was strong and willing enough to adapt to his family members.

When he made sure everybody was ok in their own rooms, he went to the kitchen, already expecting the second meeting there, the one that had him nervous all week.

He sat stiffly in a chair between his sisters, letting the silence drag around, after a while Peter huffed.

\- You smell like you’re a cub in trouble.

Derek growled in answer, pressing his alpha as a warning. Peter loved to tease him for _everything_ when he was younger. In a normal day Derek would have let it pass, but today he was too stressed out and tense to not lash out at the slight provocation.

Peter raised an eyebrow.

\- I see, a grumpy cub in trouble, then – he said in amusement, but backed off anyways.

His mom turned to him then, holding his gaze in silence and Derek tensed, not knowing what to expect. _Afraid_ of her next words.

\- It’s good to have you back – she said finally, smiling, eyes shining at him.

He left out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.

Even if he was an alpha himself, his wolf still puffed in affection and warmness with her words and he felt a relief that was almost painful in his chest.

He flashed a brief smile back at her and the air felt lighter, his shoulders seemed less burdened somehow.

\- It was time you left your exile and bring your stinky paws back here – Laura teased him and he rolled his eyes. Leave it to his sister to always ruin a heartfelt mood.

Cora sat in silence, almost in a shy manner, without looking at him.

When he left, she was just a teenager, he still remembered how she clung to his shirt, angry and sad that he was leaving so suddenly.

He poked her side, right on her ticklish spot, making her yelp in surprise.

\- I see you’re as socially awkward as ever – he said grinning. When she turned at him her face was slightly red, she was older now, but Derek could still see his little sister in there somewhere.

\- Am not – she mumbled trying to contain a goofy smile, while shoving his poking finger away.

It felt good to be here. Family, pack. He took his time to soak in and appreciate their presence. That’s the part he missed the most.

They talked about a little of everything, his life, their lives, how was his routine with a relatively new pack, their issues having a huge, centuries old pack, Cora talked about the newest season from her favorite netflix series, Peter complained about his daughters and their teenage problems, mom commented on a new book she discovered and was obsessed with.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had been at such ease around people. He supposed that’s the effect family had on him.

The absence of his dad and his aunt still turned the family reunion bittersweet, he knew he would never get to see the pack he truly missed back again, but he tried not to linger on it too much.

\- So, where is the stray? – he asked, finally giving in to his curiosity.

Peter and Laura smiled smugly at him.

\- Out patrolling, Laura was too tired to go – answered his mom.

Derek eyed them in disbelief.

\- We have an alpha stray somewhere in the territory roaming around unattended?

Talia shrugged, a mischievous smile dancing in her eyes as well.

\- Why not? It’s a friend of the pack.

\- _Why not?_ – he gritted out, felling his wolf rise in agitation, feeling protective and alarmed. His mom raised a silent, threatening eyebrow at him, so he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, this wasn’t his territory anymore, he didn’t have the right to barge in and question things like that.

He tried again in a more contained manner

\- Why not?

Cora snorted and motioned to the door.

\- If you’re that worried, why don’t you go check on the _dangerous_ alpha stray yourself?

Peter and Laura chuckled at that and Derek narrowed his eyes, not enjoying one bit being left out of the obvious internal joke happening.

Still, he was worried and now curious enough to actually bite the bait.

He eyed his mom in question, she just sighed and nodded to him.

\- Go.

He immediately went to the door and ignored when Laura called him out.

\- Hey Der, make sure to not get too scared when you see the big bad alpha stray out there. Peter and Cora cackled behind him. Even his mom was chuckling.

Goddammit.

He left the house, ignoring the usual patrolling path and going for the shortcut only he and his dad took when they wanted to cross the territory more quickly.

When he arrived silently at the spot, he was surprised to find the trail of the stray long gone. He was faster than Derek had anticipated.

He cursed when he ran all the way back to the beginning to the patrolling path again.

Thinking he had a bit of an advantage, he was grateful he had been careful enough to put some distance between himself and the path, because a silhouette rushed through the woods sooner than he calculated.

Holy shit, this wolf was really fast.

His own wolf had all its attention on the figure when it stopped moving all of a sudden.

Derek stilled, holding his breath. He knew it was unlikely he had been spotted, but it unnerved him when he observed the shadow making a brief movement to the exact the direction he was hidden.

But then the stray deliberately turned in a slow movement and bolted down the path.

Derek’s heart jumped and he ran after it, containing a low steady rumble trying to come out from his chest.

The figure was fast and Derek struggled a bit to keep his distance while still keeping it in his radar. His eyes sometimes failed him, but his nose never lost the trail left behind.

He had to keep himself in check all the time, for some reason his wolf got really excited about this little chase and he often found himself falling in a weird trance, all the focus on his nose and the urge to just tackle the stray to the ground.

But he contained his instincts and forced his legs to slow down and just keep a careful watch. He wanted to get a good look at their face first, his family acted like this was a big joke and he could assume that was because he actually knew the stray.

When they reached the house, he’d approach them and see for himself who was this wolf that had his family’s pack completely charmed.

In his teenage years he always found patrolling a dull duty. Sure, he did it with the attention required and tried to be as thorough as possible, but he always thought it was the most boring chore.

Following the same path, same tree, same rocks, same smells, every day, every week, then _repeat_ until you found something too dangerous to deal with by himself, then he had to run back to the house and let the grown ups solve it.

Now the same path was anything but boring, Derek’s wolf relished in the way his prey jumped and ran swiftly through the woods he grew up in. It was close enough to slowly marinate in the addicting scent, but far enough to make it a challenging, interesting chase.

He was surprised when the trees opened and he saw himself already in the edge of the woods, the house just around the corner, while the stray stood under the crescent moon, back to him, as if he was waiting for something. Now he could tell by their shape this was actually a guy.

His wolf itched to just run full force and crash into the figure, but Derek held his ground and waited. Then waited.

_And waited_.

What the fuck was this guy doing? Standing at the top of hill like a-

The stray turned and Derek’s breath hitched.

A pair of warm bronze eyes stared at his direction. Derek knew those eyes, he recognized the face and was stunned still to how different he was, how predatory he held himself now. Same mouth, different smile, different body, same smell.

Derek jumped into action as the figure before him dashed forwards, disappearing at the drop of the hill.

Before thinking about it, he jumped forwards, launching himself full force to the top of the hill.

His mind drowned in _chase, want_ and _need._

When he reached the top, his body about to drop, he felt a slight move from his left and before he could react, something crashed into him, making all air leave his lungs and sending him rolling down the hill again.

He groaned, feeling momentarily disoriented when he felt a heavy weight effectively pinning him down to the ground around his waist.

A menacing growl left his throat before he could help it and was met with an equally threatening snarl.

He looked up in surprise and interrupted himself when he realized the body draped over him.

Strong thighs encaged his ribs and a steady hand lay spread on his chest. Flashing bright red eyes stared him down in a piercing gaze that had his wolf squirming inside.

\- Stiles? – he croaked out in a low voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I changed my mind, I'm posting everything now.  
> Sorry if you spot any mistakes, I started this almost three months ago and as much as I try, there are still things I found every time I go through.


	7. Chapter 7

Stiles growled on top of him and kept watching him intensely, his eyes burning brighter and his hands suddenly turning into claws.

Now, half shifted, he leaned forward and visibly sniffed him before tightening his grip on his body, legs squeezing the breath out of him, hand dragging down, making his skin tingle with the ghost of deadly claws through his shirt.

Holy shit.

Derek had to fight the shift as well, because the smell was too good, too close, too intoxicating. And he felt his wolf growling impatiently under his skin.

Stiles hand dragged up again until it reached the soft, vulnerable area under his jaw.

Red eyes stared at him in a measured, weirdly animal way, it was something soft and gentle. And Derek all but gulped and resisted the urge to shift again, his wolf whining and fighting to come out.

\- Derek? – Stiles seemed to regain some of his consciousness, because he looked at him in a daze, then the red slowly faded away, then he went wide-eyed and scrambled backwards, falling on his ass in a classical Stiles move.

Derek just looked at him with an arched eyebrow.

\- Sorry – the stray was bright red, ears bristling under Derek’s inquisitive gaze – went a bit... Uh... Alpha on you, sorry, I’m still getting used to it... Sorry.

\- Stop apologizing.

\- Sor-

Stiles cut off himself, while shutting himself up putting a hand on his own mouth, while still looking at Derek in a mix of horror and embarrassment.

They stared at each other in a brief, tense, silence.

But then Derek snorted out and chuckled, this was so awkward and eerily nostalgic. Stiles had been another social awkward duck growing up and Derek always found himself increasingly amused at the younger wolf antics.

Stiles was also smiling at him, still exhaling embarrassment, but he seemed to relax enough to let some tension slip out his body.

\- So, how does it feel being an alpha too, huh? – Stiles smiled warmly at him and Derek’s wolf rumble in a purr, a _purr_. Cats purred, not wolves, so why the fuck was his wolf _purring_?

He coughed, cutting off the sound and shrugged in a dismissive way, choosing to keep his silence, he didn’t really want to become an alpha and he wasn’t exactly proud of it too.

Stiles frowned at his lack of... Enthusiasm.

\- That bad, huh?

It was Derek’s turn to look at him wide-eyed.

\- What?

\- You don’t seem to be enjoying it – Stiles eyes were guarded and the tone of his voice went a bit too serious, on the verge of _sour_.

Derek growled.

\- Not your problem.

Stiles just eyed him with a blinded expression and got up in silence.

That felt... Weird.

When they were growing up Stiles had been beyond an open book, the younger wolf was the freaking title of the cover of the book, you just had to take one look at his face to know what he was thinking. Derek still remembered how Stiles flailed around in the beginning of his teens.

Of course, he knew Stiles liked him, there wasn’t how to _not_ know, you didn’t even need eyes to tell that, his _nose_ told him enough.

That’s the exact reason seeing a twenty-four-year old Stiles going all poker face and muffled smell really weirded him out.

He followed the slim figure steadily retreating to the house.

\- You’ve changed – he said, still eyeing Stiles back, wondering how especially weird he had just been.

\- You didn’t – Stiles voice still had that weird neutral tone that had him on edge.

Derek frowned, stopping on his tracks and watching Stiles entering the house and leaving him alone in the backyard.


	8. Chapter 8

“You’ve changed.”

Blinking his eyes open, Stiles grimaced to the ceiling.

Of course, he had fucking changed.

He was an adult now, he had lost his family, he became a stray, he was about to (possibly) start a war and shatter the delicate balance achieved after decades of negotiation between wolves and hunters.

“You’ve changed.” – the voice echoed inside his mind, Derek’s voice painted in a curious, sad tone.

\- Shut up – he grumbled, scratching his head and getting up, feeling a bad exhausted, after a rough night of sleep.

He dragged his sorry ass out of his room and ignored the foreign smells and faces staring him all over the kitchen. He could barely make the faces of Derek’s pack out.

He refused to deal with this shit until he properly woke up.

As usual, people left him alone while he made coffee, and he was still angsting over his conversation with Derek last night, when he realized someone had just put their hands on his mug. The mug he carefully stored at the back of the cupboard to avoid someone touching it.

Before he could stop it, his wolf growled loud and full force, the sound reverberating all around the kitchen and everything went still around him.

Being around a pack that wasn’t his own sometimes made his alpha instinct go a little crazy and he found that little things appeased his alpha instinct, like how his bedroom was his private place, how nobody seated at his spot in the table and how his coffee mug shouldn’t be touched before he had his proper dose of coffee.

\- Shut up, it’s too early for this noisy shit, here, have it back – Cora handed him his mug and he went back to finishing his coffee, still half asleep, grumbling about stupid alpha territorial instincts and stupid people who got their hands where they weren’t supposed to.

It was only after his third mug of coffee that he slowly became more aware of his surroundings.

Derek’s pack was all around the kitchen, they chatted among themselves but mainly kept it from Talia’s betas, who were around as usual.

Laura had left earlier to work and Cora was in the process of trying – and failing, because he had woken up by now – to smack his head while she went out to early patrol.

Stiles also went to morning patrol, but these ungodly hours were _not_ considered morning by him. It was almost time to Malia and Ray to wake up, so he shook his head, trying to get rid of the remain of sleepiness and got to work in the kitchen.

He was aware of Derek’s pack observing all his movements carefully, he supposed he had to get used to people thinking he was going rogue at any minute, so he just ignored them and followed his usual morning routine.

When Derek himself appeared - wearing annoying perfect looking basketball shorts and a tight tank top – Stiles struggled a bit more to maintain his composure, but somehow managed to not stare at his teenage crush and properly feed the pack’s cubs.

He was supposed to make enough only for Peter and his daughters, he had lost a bet - don’t even ask - but eventually all the other cubs of the pack discovered Stiles could make mean pancakes, so they often popped at the Hale house before school.

Stiles was only happy to oblige, the only time nobody tried to “exercise his alpha attitude” was when he was resting on his bed about to fall asleep or when feeding the kids, even Kale left him alone and only approached him to get more syrup on his flapjacks.

By the time they were all rushing out of the doors, waving him goodbye, he noticed Derek’s pack staring at him like he had grown a second head.

\- What? Afraid big bad alpha stray is going to eat one of the pups? – he said while rolling his eyes and retreating to the kitchen, not really waiting for an answer.

He had an army of little wild things devouring food in here, of course there would be a ton of dish to do afterwards.

He could hear Derek’s pack exchanging whispers on the other room, but didn’t bother to concentrate on making the words out, he wasn’t really interested on what they had to say about him.

He put a nice playlist and hummed to the tunes as he made the kitchen presentable again. Getting lost in his own mind was a special ability he always had, werewolf enhanced perceptions or not, he still got easily distracted, which explained how he almost had a heart attack when he turned in the middle of his little dance moves and Derek was right behind him.

The plates he was holding almost fell when he jumped backwards.

\- Fuck! Dude, don’t do that kind of stuff when I’m cleaning!

He quickly put the plates away and huffed when Derek kept his feet glued to the ground, eyeing him the same way he had the night before.

A look of bewilderment, like he didn’t recognize Stiles anymore.

“You’ve changed.”

Stiles cursed internally, why did he have that sentence stuck in his head? Why was that shit messing him up so much?

He gritted his teeth, scrubbing an already cleaned mug, trying to ignore how he felt Derek’s presence now that he actually knew the wolf was there.

When he turned around again, he held a bunch of cups in his hands.

\- Either you help or get out of my kitchen, you’re in the way.

Derek still seemed a bit out of sorts, but he replied:

\- Not your kitchen.

Stiles narrowed his eyes at him, letting his wolf out a little bit.

\- In the mornings when I make breakfast in here, feed the pups the food _I_ made, and clean everything _myself_ , this _is my_ kitchen.

Stiles didn’t feel that doing this for the pack every morning was a burden, in fact, he enjoyed it quite a lot, but when Derek got in his business, acting as if Stiles had no business with Talia’s pack, it rubbed Stiles in the wrong way, even if sometimes he shared this point of view, so everything came out extra grumpy and extra scowling.

\- And after all, that’s not your problem, is it? – he asked, voice dripping sarcasm.

After a moment of silence, Derek just got the cups from his hands and put them away, eyes guarded behind a frown.

They worked in tense silence for a while, but soon Stiles relaxed again, he could never remain angry for long. He left his mind drift again, humming to his tunes and wondering if he could convince Talia to bring the cubs to the lake next week.

He was just finishing rinsing the last plate when Derek awkwardly stood at his side.

In silence. Staring.

Since when he had turned into such a creeperwolf? Not that Stiles was complaining, age had only refined Derek’s figure and he squirmed, trying not to keep glancing at the sharp trimmed short beard that wasn’t there when Stiles last saw him.

\- What? – he snapped as soon as he finished everything, putting a towel on his shoulder.

Derek cleared his throat, looking somewhat caught off guard despite being the one who weirdly approached him. At least Stiles thought when people stood by him and waited in silence was an approach. A very awkward one.

\- I’m sorry about your family. I didn’t know.

Stiles stance relaxed a bit. Derek knew his family, he remembered them, liked them. He supposed he was bound to bring it at some point, even if it made his shoulders tense with the weight of silence heavy on them.

\- It’s ok, it’s not like I held a proper funeral and let people know – he shrugged, heart clenching at the thought. He decided against it, knowing that going through a ceremony would only raise questions, which would eventually lead to the hunters, which would be bad news for everyone.

\- What happened? – Derek was frowning and his voice sounded grim. Stiles realized with surprised appreciation that he wasn’t pitying him, his scent only revealed comfort and sadness, not only for Stiles loss, but because Derek also genuinely grieved them. That made him more comfortable, but still didn’t mean he could bring himself to talk about it that easily.

\- If you want to know, ask your mom – he put the towel down, paused the music and went to leave the kitchen. The mention of his family still turned the day a bit paler, music seemed to unfit the world right now.

\- I want _you_ to tell me.

Stiles paused, back to Derek. The other alpha’s voice was soft and tentative. He still remembered how his voice had sounded the same when he found Stiles under the covers of the guest room, silently crying over his mom.

Back then he also just sat on the edge of his bed in silence for a while, then asked him to tell about his mom.

He had been angry at the question, it still felt like someone was poking at an open wound and he poured all the words in fury at first, but before he knew it he was rambling about how much he missed her, how his dad drifted away from the pack every now and then and he was scared he would lose somebody else of the pack, of his family or even his friends.

But now Stiles was different. When he was younger, he was so open and Derek’s presence felt reassuring, but now he felt his chest closed off. An invisible barrier stood between them, he still felt the urge to just talk his heart out, but when he glanced back, he squished his will away and answered:

\- I guess you’ll have to wait for the alpha meeting then.

And he left.

He ran outside, huffing in frustration and unshed tears. Something squirmed inside him and he reprimanded himself for letting Derek get to him so much. Teenage crushes were supposed to be only that: teenage crushes. And not heavy, _yucky_ things that made your very adult self writhe inside out.

Core eyed him in surprise when he reached her just as she was finishing patrolling.

She had just shifted back and just took a look at his heavy breathing, flared nostrils and clenched fists.

She lifted a single eyebrow, looking at him with a contemplative hum.

\- Derek?

He refused to meet her gaze, but nodded jerkily. She was the only one who knew how much he had liked the older wolf while they grew up, Stiles couldn’t shut up if his life depended on it and he supposed he made her want to rip her ears off every time he started to ramble about her brother.

She put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

\- You know he won’t leave you alone when you’re like that.

He met her eyes in confusion.

\- What do you mean?

She rolled her eyes.

\- C’mon Stiles, he can’t leave you by yourself when you’re sad, you know that.

He blinked.

\- What? – he asked dumbly, _feeling_ dumb.

She huffed.

\- Every time you even so much left a faint smell of kicked sad puppy, he’d go to you – then she grimaced – I had a hard time dealing with that, _I_ was the little sister and _you_ were the one getting his attention.

Then she shrugged.

\- I leaned how to deal with it, thank God things change.

“You’ve changed.”

When he didn’t answer, still thinking about what she had said, she squeezed his shoulder.

\- Want to talk about it?

\- No, thanks – then he paused and huffed with the irony – that was the reason I left the house, he asked me about what happened to the rest of the pack and I just... I couldn’t tell him.

Cora didn’t say anything, she just pulled him to a hug and he hugged her back, squeezing her tight and blessing Talia for having such a great daughter.

A reason they got along well when they grew up – besides always being ditched by the older kids - was because of their different temperaments, Stiles enjoyed hanging with Cora because she was fun, she always noticed smart, weird things about the others, being a quietly perceptive person, she always managed to spot subtleties among people’s relationships that he never caught on.

He on the other hand sometimes didn’t understand why she’d stuck to him back then, he supposed Cora had fun laughing at his stupid antics, she had always been the one more shocked by his stupid mouth and reckless actions, never batting an eye when lying or hesitating to stick his head into troubles.

He supposed they were a nice friendship of extrovert and introvert, although he always felt she had adopted him, not the opposite.

While they were going back, she told him before approaching the house, where no ear could her them.

\- You two should talk. Properly.

And Stiles just nodded, because when it came to bonding and pack stuff Cora’s instinct was crystal clear and her advices always proved correct in the end. Stiles had suffered enough in his teens with her rambles and I “told yous” to not take it to heart and make a mental note to find time to talk to Derek. Even if he really, _really_ , didn’t want to.

Apparently, Talia shared Cora’s opinion, but being the alpha herself, she could actually make it happen, because as soon as she arrived for lunch she asked in a deceptive light tone:

\- Stiles, could you take Derek and his pack for a tour around our territory? I need all of you prepared for the alpha meeting.

Stiles and Derek knew better than to think this was just request.

That was Talia Hale’s way of being polite enough to give them an excuse to properly talk, because Derek knew the territory like the back of his hand and he certainly had already thought about covering the area with his pack mates.

They both agreed without a single whine, otherwise she’d just make them both stand outside the house and not enter again until they’ve worked their differences.

Stiles actually saw that happening once when Laura was particularly annoying while teasing him on his crush for her young brother and then she must have caught him on a bad day, because Derek snapped at her, breaking his expressionless facade and growling at her every time she started it.

He still remembered hearing them shouting at each other all night long in the backyard, the fight losing its focus and becoming the usual bickering between siblings.

They were only allowed inside again after properly apologizing to each other in front of Talia and Robert, it was morning by then. Stiles didn’t feel like spending a whole night with a grumpy Derek, so hence the whole not protesting thing.

In the afternoon while they were about to get ready to leave, a tiny shadow dropped from the second floor, pouncing Stiles in the second he had his back turned.

Derek’s pack jumped in surprise at Stiles startled yelp.

\- Kale! What the heck were you thinking?

He had managed to catch the cub in surprise by reflex, thinking some object was being thrown at him, if he had realized it was a person – even if a mini person – he would have dodged and Kale would have crashed face first on the floor.

The kid giggled in his arms until he caught Stiles’ angry scent. Then he squirmed and twisted in his arms to look at the alpha’s face.

\- But I knew you’d catch me! – the kid whined in defense, but Stiles was having none of it.

\- No, that was dangerous and you know it, it was the _second floor_ – he narrowed his eyes at the cub, now slumped still in his hands – I don’t want to see you jumping from anywhere, or doing any other risky stuff again mister.

It wasn’t every day that Stiles used his dad’s Disapproving Voice, which made it very effective when he did use it. One of the most important things to learn as a kid werewolf was not to rely to much on their powers, that could make them reckless and impulsive when they got older. Sure, they healed, that didn’t mean they shouldn’t care for their health and safety.

\- I’m sorry – if Kale was in his wolf form, his tail would be tucked between his legs and his ears flattened against his head. The spitting image of regret and kid version of Shrek’s cat.

Stiles supposed that seemed enough.

\- Just don’t go too crazy again – he then proceeded to put him on top of his shoulders and randomly play with the kid while he showed Derek’s pack around.

It took them a while, but they were slowly getting relaxed around him. Well, _almost_ all of them, the blonde guy looked either bored or annoyed all the time, the big one - was it Vernom? Venom? Stiles settled for Boyd, as everybody did – looked as expressionless as a constipated plank of wood and Derek... Derek kept glancing at him and Kale with a frown.

He was in the middle of leading them deep into the forest, intending to show them a recent emergency cabin built just last year, when Stiles had enough of Derek’s worried vibes constantly surrounding him.

\- Here, Kale, why don’t you go with uncle Sourwolf? – he said, while taking Kale from his shoulders and putting them on Derek’s.

The rest of the pack had gone still at the action and were eyeing their alpha in different degrees of shock.

Then Kale poked Derek’s head and grimaced, wrinkling his nose.

\- You smell weird.

That made all of them laugh while Derek scowled. But Stiles relaxed while the rest of them still kept shooting weird looks at his alpha, like those were two elements you shouldn’t ever put together or they’d cause an explosion.

But Stiles kept his relaxed stance while touring them, he knew for a fact that Derek was great with kids, so he huffed in amusement as Derek’s pack stared at him in increasing amazement as they resumed their walk and Derek entertained Kale, even managing to make the kid laugh as he sprinted down the path at some point, making the cub bounce and scream on his shoulders while they dashed through trees and branches.

They were also somehow warming up to Stiles’ presence as well. If on the first moments they maintained a careful distance, now they progressed to politely ask occasional questions about the places and the other alphas that were coming to the meeting.

Scott was the most curious out of all them and Stiles decided he liked the guy when they got to the cabin and he exclaimed:

\- Wow, this looks like it was taken straight out of a horror movie or some post-apocalyptic zombie thing.

Derek’s pack rolled their eyes, but Stiles entered a heavy discussion with Scott over the Blair Witch movies and if the sequel was really that bad and they were more than happy to bond over the fact that yes, it was crap.

\- Dude, I’m telling you, 14% was still too good for that movie – said Stiles, while closing and locking the cabin again.

\- I don’t understand why they insist on sequels – Scott shook his head grimly.

Then one of the girls, Erica, if Stiles remembered correctly shouted at them down the path:

\- Hey, you two nerds, hurry up, Derek and Kale found something.

Scott looked at him apologetically at his pack mate’s words, but Stiles just shrugged, he didn’t mind being called a nerd, it was true anyways.

When they regrouped, Stiles’ nose wrinkled with the smell of death in the air.

Kale looked silently upset as he stood beside the carcass of a mountain lion with two legs crushed in a huge metal trap.

Derek looked at him slightly worried, but still kept a close distance to the kid.

Stiles crouched near Kale, letting soothing vibes to calm the cub’s nerves.

\- Hey buddy, you ok?

When he looked at Stiles, his eyes were all watery and he smelled strongly of pup in distress.

\- Why is it dead?

Stiles sighed, crouching closer to the kid and glancing at the dead animal.

\- Some human must have put the trap in there to capture things, the lion didn’t see it in the dark and got trapped in it – Stiles was never a fan of glazing the truth for kids, so he always made sure to be as honest as possible trying not to traumatize them in the process. Which was easier said than done.

\- But why? – the kid insisted, visibly getting more upset.

\- What do you mean pup? – Stiles asked softly, brushing his hair.

\- Why didn’t they hunt it?

Oh that. He was stunned to silence for a couple of moments.

Kids were amazing, Kale understood the concept of hunting and chasing, he had the wolf inside him after all, he just didn’t understand there was more than one way to hunt.

\- That’s how humans do it, they put traps around and wait for their prey to step on it, that’s their way – he shrugged.

Kale looked at the lion again, frowning.

\- But that’s unfair! I don’t like it!

Then he promptly burst in tears, hugging Stiles by the neck fiercely.

Stiles carried him in his arms, the kid cried for a while and he rubbed soothing circles on his trembling back and talking softly to him as eventually he tired out and slept soundly, head on his shoulder, arms slack against his back.

The pack had fallen silent again when Kale had burst in tears and they shifted on their feet probably feeling the urge to comfort an upset puppy.

As Kale snored soundly on his shoulder, eyes puffy and red, Isaac, the quiet one, approached him.

\- Why was he so upset over the lion? – his voice was low and tentative, but apparently his own curiosity had won.

Stiles hadn’t missed how out of all of them Isaac was the one twitching the most in concern over Kale.

\- You’re a turned right? – Stiles asked carefully. To some people that was a sensitive subject and it wasn’t rare that born werewolves acted like they were superior just because they were born with it.

Isaac just nodded calmly, so Stiles guessed there wasn’t prejudice instilled in this pack. Good.

\- Kale is a born werewolf, I’m one too and I guess we’re raised different from humans, the wolf, the hunt, death and living are all natural things for us.

Then he smiles, he still remembers all the talks and lessons his elders gave him. He thought those were absolutely boring and straight useless, but he had grown fond over their way, it made more sense to him than the human way at least.

\- You could say it’s a lion king thing, you know, the cycle, we are all one, all that crap – Isaac chuckled lowly – but Kale still doesn’t understand that humans are different from us, he doesn’t like the idea of hunting without the chase, he doesn’t understand it.

Now he can feel more of the pack shift their attention to him, but he keeps his focus on Isaac.

\- The way we’re taught, the hunt doesn’t exist without the one chasing and the one being chased and although only one will end up victorious, each part respects the other. We don’t trap our prey and leave it to slowly bleed to death in the woods, we hunt, we chase and kill. They run, they scape and survive. We don’t do it for funsies and just for the heck of it.

Then Derek interjects.

\- _Most of us_.

Stiles inclined his head in agreement.

\- Yeah, I’m sure you guys had your fair share of experiences with the stupid “all you need is power” pack before – Stiles huffed. Beacon Hills’ werewolf pack was known among packs and Stiles would have liked to know it was Derek’s pack before, if half the stories were true, they had encountered their fair share of horrors.

\- You talk about it like it’s almost a religion – Isaac was grimacing.

\- Some take it so seriously that they believe it really is one – then he adjusted his grip on Kale and smiled at Isaac – but if you ask me that’s just a culture thing, every group of people have their own stories and beliefs. You don’t need to believe it, it doesn’t always explain all the weird stuff but somehow helps things make sense. You know, just like the old tales.

After a pensive silence, Isaac spoke again, a little bit more shyly.

\- Actually, I don’t know about the old tales.

Stiles snorted.

\- Of course you do, you know, that one about the fire and all that – he said dismissively waving a hand.

God, he still remembered being all excited to hear all those stories every weekend.

Isaac stared at him in with a weird expression.

\- Yeah... Haven’t heard about that.

\- Ok, then you must have heard the ones with the hunters and the puppy.

\- Nope.

\- What about the one about the cat, the wolf and fox?

Isaac shook his head.

\- The one with the stars and sea? The sad one about rain and thunder? You _must_ know the one about _the sun, the moon and the earth_?

But Isaac kept shaking his head.

That made Stiles finally stop.

Then he eyed Derek, who in turn was pointedly staring to the other direction.

\- You didn’t tell them shit – he accusingly narrowed his eyes at the other alpha.

Everyone had stopped and stood in a silent, weird semi-circle in the middle of the woods. Now if that wasn’t a great opening shot for a horror movie, Stiles didn’t know what was.

He was still glaring daggers at Derek when Scott cautiously put a hand on his arm.

\- Dude, it’s ok, we’re used to it, it’s not like we have the time to sit around and chat, it’s always one thing after the other back home.

Stiles grimaced at that.

\- I’m not exactly the religious type, but these stories have a purpose, they’re supposed to guide a confused mind and it’s especially helpful with young turned wolves, it explains of anchors, bonds, mates, instinct and many other stuff that makes me question why the heck you weren’t told any of those before.

This time, when he shifted his glare back to Derek, the man actually glared back.

\- I told them about all of that, just not... The traditional way.

Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

\- The purpose of telling it through stories it’s to not to simply inform, but just the act of sit around and _talk_ strengthens the bond among pack members.

Jackson snorted at that, making everyone turn to him.

\- Talk is the least favorite action of our alpha. He growls and barks more than talks. Hell would freeze before he got us around a fire and went all kumbaya with stupid little stories.

Derek was about to reprimand his beta, but he was too busy fumbling with Kale being put in his arms. Then he watched in surprise as Stiles advanced on Jackson.

\- First of all: you don’t talk about your alpha like that, it’s disrespectful and just rude, second: you buying or not the lion king shit, you _don’t_ get to refer to it as “stupid little stories” in this territory or in my presence, understood?

Jackson eyed him, cocky confident vibes spreading around him like a particular stinky cologne, he growled and pushed out in defiance.

\- And why the fuck should I listen to the packless wolf of all p-

Before Jackson could even make a noise, he was on the ground. He hadn’t even seen Stiles moving, he just felt the impact against his chest and he was on the ground, belly up, all open for attacks.

He tried to get back on his feet, but a heavy foot took all the air out of his chest. When he looked up, his wolf actually flinched.

Deep dark reds were staring down at him. He knew the pressure of alpha on him, but he felt a shiver down his spine when he felt the cold collected _fury_ raging deep in the flashing garnets above him.

\- Keep going, please, I _can’t wait_ to hear what you were saying – Stiles said in a surprising human, contained voice. Playful words... Not so playful attitude, if literally stepping on Jackson could say anything over the current situation.

Which is why Jackson’s wolf took the control over the situation and wisely and very slowly tilted his chin up while raising both his hands up, in a clear submissive act.

\- No? Maybe next time then – the alpha took his foot off Jackson’s chest and turned, taking Kale from Derek’s arms and leading the way down the path again, with Isaac right behind him.

Lydia helped a still stunned Jackson to lift from the ground – not that he actually needed it – and Derek shot him a warning glance before darting after Stiles and his beta.

Scott eyed Jackson’s woobly figure sympathetically.

\- Dude, what were you thinking?

Jackson growled at that, but the bravado failed when his voice trembled.

\- What? How could I guess that _that_ would’ve made him snap? – Jackson shuddered – you saw how the pack keeps nagging him and he _never_ did anything to defend himself, not even against Derek’s creepy uncle.

Erica huffed.

\- Yeah, but they never attacked anything he _liked_. You managed to insult his culture, his family _and_ on top of it all our dear alpha.

\- What? What does Derek have to do with any of this? – Jackson asked cluelessly patting his clothes.

\- Wow and I thought I was the slow one – Scott muttered, rolling eyes.

The rest of the pack chuckled while they moved after their alpha and their guide.

\- What? You _are_ the slow one! What’s going on? C’mon!

Jackson whined in annoyance as he bolted after them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written kid characters, but I somehow ended up really fond of Kale, in my mind he looks like baby Derek (like his mom even does the spiky hair and all that).


	9. Chapter 9

Stiles kept going on with their tour like nothing had happened, he still answered all their questions and babbled as usual, but he seemed... Subdued. He still rambled, but never strayed from the topic at hand and kept it as straight and efficient as rambling would. Soon enough, they were retreating back to the house, and although they weren’t super familiar with Stiles, they knew his silence wasn’t a normal thing, judging by the way Derek kept eyeing him in worry.

By the time they were close to the Hale house, Stiles approached Isaac.

\- Hey, can you carry Kale back home?

Isaac stopped and his eyes went comically huge, he knew what it meant being in charge of puppies in a pack.

\- It’s ok, I trust you with him.

Isaac then proceeded to get Kale in his arms, still stiff and nervous, but Stiles eyed him approvingly when he watched the way the other wolf grinned goofily at the way Kale hugged and nuzzled his neck.

\- Derek, can we talk for a second?

The other alpha hesitated, but nodded and stayed behind, exchanging glances with his pack and Scott in particular. A gaze that translated “don’t get into any troubles while I’m not there”.

Then they retreated to the house, Jackson a bit more quickly than the others.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Stiles got straight to the point.

\- Derek, how did you become their alpha?

Derek winced, of course Stiles out of anybody would be able sniff out the truth out of him.

\- It’s a long story – he mumbled, eyes darting everywhere but the person in front of him.

\- I’m all ears – Stiles answered promptly, not liking one bit the way Derek was behaving.

\- I know how it looks, but it’s not-

\- Not my problem, yeah, I know, you made that clear already – Stiles dismissed, before crossing his arms – still doesn’t change the fact that you have a pack that doesn’t know shit about our way. It makes me wonder if they even understand where they stand here.

\- I made sure to tell them what was necessary – Derek gritted out.

\- Well, necessary it’s not enough. If I heard correctly about Beacon Hills’ pack, you had this pack for at least two years and a 3-year-old pup would know more than them.

\- Four. We’re a four-year-old pack.

Stiles eyed him with surprise and admiration, but then he expression turned even more sour than before.

\- Four years and they don’t know the old tale about the moon, sun and earth. The _moon_ Derek, that’s like, one of the most important things about lycan culture.

Derek took a deep, frustrated breath.

\- I know, ok? It’s not like I’m not trying.

\- Yeah, not enough Sourwolf.

Derek scowled at that name.

\- Don’t call me that.

\- Why? What you gonna do about it? How I call you it’s my problem anyway.

If Derek could regret one thing, was trying to push Stiles away with that line.

\- Will you let that go already?

They stood there in silence for a moment, each letting their frustration settle over and calm down for a moment.

But of course, Stiles wouldn’t leave it like that.

\- How did you become alpha?

Derek growled, feeling his irritation spike.

\- I’ll tell you when you tell me how did _you_ become an alpha.

Stiles went silent then, and Derek cursed inwardly at his own stupidity. He didn’t want to pry it out of Stiles that way, not like a _bargain_.

He stroked his hair, a nervous gesture.

\- I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-

\- Fine.

\- What?

\- I’ll tell you if tell me – Stiles said in resolution and Derek frowned as he watched Stiles face go all closed off and guarded.

That made his wolf agitated and his mind squirm over the fact that _he_ was the one who made Stiles shut him off like that.

\- You don’t have to if you don’t want to.

\- Just tell me, Derek – he growled in frustration, eyes flashing red for a moment and Derek realized Stiles was very controlled for a young alpha.

\- Ok – he nodded and sat on a log nearby. This was going to be a long story, he might as well make himself a little bit comfortable.

Stiles hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat by his side and Derek noticed that was the closest they have been since that first night, when Stiles all but straddled him.

He shook those thoughts away, because that was a recipe for disaster, and started to tell his pack’s story.

Starting from the very beginning, he told how he found Beacon Hills and settled there, looking for quiet and peacefulness of a small city after spending two years in the chaos and noise of New York.

Little did he know that things were far from quiet there, that Beacon Hills held its own type of chaos. He managed to stay there for two years in peaceful loneliness before shit hit then fan.

It all started when hunters moved to town, then an alpha rogue came by and turned a bunch of teenagers, leaving to Derek the job of train them, because if he didn’t, said teenagers would basically start a mass murder around the town when full moon rolled in.

It didn’t mean they liked it. Derek didn’t like it, nobody liked it back then. Hell, Scott hated his guts at the beginning. His now second was full in love at that time and because fate was a bitch, the love of his life came from a hunter family, the ones who had just moved, which brought a whole new set of problems for the pack.

Eventually they managed to kill the rogue alpha and Derek took the role, because he was the born wolf, the one teaching these kids how to survive and there wasn’t anybody else to step in and take the role in his place.

That still didn’t make they trust each other.

Then came the witches. Witches and wolves didn’t mix well, old enemies from ancient times, and of course they came for his pack, they sook their weakness and Scott suffered when they attacked, they wanted power and one way to do it was getting to the pack from the inside, so they enchanted Scott through Allison and in the end she didn’t survive.

It had broken Scott’s heart and Derek wondered to this day how in the hell he had survived, because back then he was miserable. He didn’t even react when he was told he was supposed to be a True Alpha, the witches told him that was the reason they targeted their pack. He still remembered Scott denying the role and declaring he didn’t want or deserved any of it after Allison.

One would think they’d catch a break after that, but Allison’s death triggered a chain of events they couldn’t have imagined and after having to deal with increasing supernatural uninvited creatures in Beacon Hills they soon discovered about the Nemeton and with that, they also discovered the Nogitsune.

That time Lydia was the one who went through hell. She was possessed and it nearly cost her life to seal again the dark kitsune. The only good thing about it was Kira’s presence and a new addition to their pack.

And with _that_ they all thought they were done, but after a brief period of silence, an Alpha pack came by, seeking Derek at first, thinking as their pack was young, it would be easier for him to just kill them and join their pack, when they realized that wasn’t a real option, they figured Scott’s potential and tried to lure him into their pack, but Scott, although over the guilt regarding Allison’s death, still didn’t think the alpha position suited him, so no, thank you very much.

They had just defeated them and chased them out of Beacon Hills when Derek received a call and an invitation to the alpha meeting and to see his family.

When he finished, he just watched the sky and clouds go by. Telling it like that made him realize how much shit had happened to his pack over the years and how they all needed a break from all the chaos.

Stiles sat there in silence as well, Derek could see the wheels turning in his head, that was a lot to take in. Not even his mom knew all the details his pack had gone through, though she may have realized they had seen and lived too many dark things when she went all alpha on them that first night.

\- I’m sorry – Stiles finally said, while holding a soft, thoughtful expression – I knew your pack had been through some rough shit, but I didn’t know it was _that_ bad.

Derek shrugged.

\- It’s ok.

He felt weird after talking so much. Never the type to confide to another person, he got it now that it was really freeing saying stuff to people, even when all was said and done and there was nothing they could do to change the past. But just talking made him feel lighter.

\- I meant it when I said you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.

His voice was soft and Stiles smiled a bit at that.

That was such a Derek thing to do that he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. When they were younger, they never talked that often, but when they did talk, it was always a _moment_. Maybe Stiles remembered it wrong, being infatuated with Derek may have put a glorifying filter over all their interactions, but he knew he wasn’t fantasizing it when they sometimes talked about his mom, about their future and other stuff.

Derek never pushed him to talk and he always pushed Derek to talk.

He supposed some things never changed.

\- It’s ok, I guess this could be a rehearsal for when I tell all the other alphas.

Derek more than once felt his wolf growl and get agitated while Stiles told what happened.

The hunters, the slaughter, the despair, the run, the deaths, the silence.

It all made him twitch by Stiles side, he couldn’t believe they had attacked the Stilinsky pack. Of all the packs in the country they were one of the most peaceful ones (as peaceful as a pack of werewolves could be), they were a family pack. There were _kids_.

\- Woah, Sourwolf, calm down, everything is ok.

Stiles had a hand of his shoulder, all soothing vibes, while Derek fumed, knowing his eyes were crimson right now.

\- Everything’s _not_ ok – he growled – how can you be so calm?

He could see a flash of hurt and darkness pass through Stiles eyes.

\- I’m not calm about it, I’m just- I’m over mourning Derek. I don’t want mindless, blood, revenge – his eyes then went deadly cold and his wolf came out, a freezing fury lying underneath red eyes – I want them powerless and squished to nothing, stripped away of all that’s precious, unable to call to anybody, alone in the world. _That’s_ when I’ll get my revenge.

Derek watched as Stiles eyes danced in calculated, icy rage. He didn’t really believe Stiles was suited for the alpha role, in his eyes he still saw the goofy kid who managed to be a klutz despite having the reflexes and agility of a supernatural creature, but now that Stiles sat by his side and didn’t waver a bit as he talked about his family, he didn’t doubt a second that he had all the power necessary to be an alpha, even if he didn’t really want it before.

\- You shouldn’t have been an alpha – despite his words, his voice was gentle and sad, that made Stiles blink the red away and eye him with clean warm eyes again – I shouldn’t have been one either.

Stiles looked at him for a long moment, the cogs were turning in his head again and Derek felt like he could hold his gaze forever.

\- I always believed in you Derek – Stiles said and Derek was stunned still at his words, something inside tangled and untangled, his wolf _preened_ at that – I still do, even if you yourself don’t.

Derek didn’t know what to say at that, so he kept holding Stiles’ gaze. Trying to understand the meaning of his words and how much they shook his very core.

He couldn’t keep his hands to himself, not anymore. While they talked, they managed to get closer and now their legs were pressed against each other and Stiles scent was mingling with his own and before he could stop his hand had moved on its own and now his fingers were gently caressing Stiles’ face, touching the occasional moles that spotted his cheeks and jaw.

If Stiles was surprised, he didn’t show it, he let himself be touched and when a soft smile twinkled in his eyes Derek melted inside.

\- I want to help – he said and took his hand to himself, because if this kept going, he knew he would want all of Stiles, and he still had to process the fact he wanting Stiles was now a thing.

\- With what? – Stiles asked, an arched eyebrow and Derek thought he was spending too much time with the Hale pack, because now he even caught their mannerisms.

\- With the hunters.

The other alpha then leaned back a little and Derek felt the distance between them.

\- Only if I can help you too – he said with a serious expression.

\- With what? – it was Derek’s turn to arch his eyebrow.

\- With your pack’s education.

Stiles then smiled, a loopsided grin that had Derek remembering their childhood and how he always thought that particular smile was cute. Now it wasn’t just cute. It edged predatory.

Derek gulped.

\- Deal.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is one of the shorter ones, but it felt right to put kind of a transition here, just as it felt appropriate to have Talia's pov and an outsider's view of Derek and Stiles' relationship now and in the past.

Things changed a bit in the Hale house. Every single person in that house noticed it as the week went by.

Stiles was the cause of it all.

Talia watched as the young alpha grew used to his son’s pack, as they had breakfast together, as they trained and planned and ran around together.

She exchanged knowingly glances with Peter and Laura. They were bonding. And it was such a natural, seamless process that Talia couldn’t help but grin at it every time she saw the once boy, now a grown man, win every single wolf from Derek’s pack.

And the beauty of it was that none of the involved ones were aware of it.

Stiles just instinctively knew that Isaac was a shy soul and had to approached with caution, how Jackson was a little rebel that had to be put in his place every now and then, how Boyd wasn’t swayed by words and only time could convince his wolf, how Erica had a playful personality, but was moved by actions, not words, how the kitsune was silently taking in the surroundings and watched approvingly as Stiles won each of her pack mates.

The banshee was hard to read, but Talia knew she at least liked Stiles when she laughed with others at how, for the third time that day Stiles had brought Jackson – her mate - to the ground and made him submit for offending somebody.

Then there was Derek, Talia shook her head fondly as she saw them one day running with the cubs to the lake, making a ruckus as they went. While they were growing up it was a secret to nobody that Stiles’ feelings over Derek went a little beyond admiration, what only she knew though, was that Derek also cared deeply for the kid as well.

She watched as they grew up, how Derek wouldn’t treat Stiles as a young sibling, but also not like a friend. It was a weird relationship, she supposed, when neither of them knew they were mates and both were too young to even think of the possibility.

Still, she always felt a wave of pride as Derek and Stiles interacted when they were younger, they mostly were driven by instinct and while her son never belittled Stiles because of their age difference, Stiles also never let the fact that Derek was older to change the fact that he was still going to hear it if Stiles thought he should hear it.

Talia thinks she couldn’t have asked for a better mate for his son, Stiles knows, as she knows, that Derek had always had a great weight on his shoulders. Not that they knew what this weight was, but even as a cub she always watched his struggle to _not_ succeed.

It was a weird thing to do when most young werewolves always went through that phase of seeking power and went about boasting their feats. Laura still wasn’t over the phase, Derek on the other hand never went through it, on the opposite, he _shied_ away from it.

She huffed dismissively, that would also probably change, because she knew Stiles would have none of it and contrary to her, Derek listened to him.

That also wasn’t a secret to anybody, because as soon as the two made peace over whatever had them scowling at each other that first day things immediately started to fall into place on Derek’s pack.

Talia wasn’t a fool, she knew that pack was forged in the middle of blood, chaos and war. Conflict bonded them together, that was crystal clear at the moment she poked them and they reacted in experienced well practiced formation.

It saddened and impressed her that such young kids had the same attitude of the packs of previous times, when all wolves trusted no humans and war was on.

She brought them inside her home and let them see what a family pack was, strong bonds of trust that made her family a single-minded fierce pack. But Stiles was the one that effectively took action and started the process.

Every night, after dinner with everyone from both packs, his son’s pack and Stiles would linger downstairs, sometimes she’d see them watching movies, cooking some bacon cheddar monstrosity, playing games or just good old talking.

She approved and let them be, knowing then when time came, Stiles would go with them, she knew he wasn’t destined to stay with her pack, he was a friend and an ally, but she knew he wouldn’t truly feel like this was home.

And Talia squished down that familiar feeling of letting go of one of her own cubs and let herself be happy for them, because that’s how it was supposed to be.


	11. Chapter 11

Stiles found himself at the library all afternoon, holed up and anxiously trying to distract himself with books and documents over lycan legends, stories to tell Derek’s pack, myths about kitsunes and banshees, because he wanted to understand Derek’s pack better and healing books that went over how the bite affected sickened bodies and minds, interested in trying to figure how Erica’s condition got better, but wasn’t completely healed after being bitten.

Then he realized all those books and all his concerns were about Derek’s pack.

Then he panicked because he had become too invested.

After the alpha meeting, after all was said and done, they would go back to Beacon Hills and Stiles...

Where would he be? He didn’t have a home anymore, he didn’t have a place to go back to.

Staying with the Hales felt wrong somehow, like he was overstaying his welcome. He liked the pack, was eternally grateful for their guidance and support when he had been broken and lost, but he had to move on.

To where exactly was a whole other problem.

His human counterpart, the one who had neglected his job for months now, still didn’t help to point him anywhere.

Once he had graduated, he had focused on freelancing, putting on a blog and making money with his own thing, earning a considerable amount of money as he managed to become influent anonymously.

Last year he had finished his first book and although it had been a fun experience, it was also a frustrating, very maddening one, so much that he was still running from his editor, refusing to start another one.

He could write from any part of the world, all it took was internet and a laptop.

Not that he was planning on doing it so soon. He had to focus on being packless for now.

He almost jumped to the ceiling when a hand fell on his shoulder.

\- Holy fuck! Don’t do that again – he said with a hand on his heart, while Derek stared at him with the whole arched eyebrow thing that Stiles refused to acknowledge that did things to his heart.

\- Are you ok? – Derek asked, squeezing his shoulder.

\- Yeah, yeah, I was just... Thinking.

Derek smirked.

\- That could be dangerous.

Stiles rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

Derek kept his hand there and they fell into an easy silence.

Lately they had a... _Thing_ going between them, lingering touches, occasional brushes, a fleeting caress that wouldn’t have existed days ago. Stiles still wasn’t sure what the heck was going on, it wasn’t good old scent marking, that he was sure.

He could only say it felt good, so good he feared something bad would happen.

\- Good, you’re both here.

Talia appeared on the door.

\- Did you need us for something? – Derek eyed as Peter entered the room after his mother. If the second was here too, that meant it was some pack business.

\- Yes, I need to tell you something before the meeting.

Both of them straightened up a bit with that and they all sat on the couches around the coffee table of the office.

\- There’s no way to break this to you in a subtle way, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of talking in itself.

They both held their breaths.

\- What happened?

\- Is everything ok?

They asked at the same time and Talia smiled seeing two puppies instead of two young alphas.

\- Everything is fine, it’s not anything about the pack or the meeting, relax.

They did relax, but frowned in shared confusion.

\- It’s about you two and Derek’s pack – she quickly added then – and everything is fine with them too, it could actually be a good thing.

Derek closed his mouth about to voice his concern and just resigned himself to listen.

Talia looked at them as if to make sure they were both calm and paying attention.

\- I’ve noticed how close Stiles is getting to Derek’s pack.

Stiles tilted his head in confusion, not expecting this to be the subject of this conversation, he felt a bit wary of it.

\- Yes? Shouldn’t I? – he felt preoccupation rise, he did meddle too much, maybe that was a bad thing now that he was an alpha himself.

But Talia shook her head.

\- No, it’s good. How do you feel about them?

Stiles glanced briefly at Derek, knowing it somehow mattered to him how they were getting along.

\- Well, I like them, they’re all good people – he then grimaced – Jackson is a bit of an asshole, but I guess he’s also ok deep down.

Derek snorted at that. Jackson and Stiles’ relationship was more of a wolf swatting a puppy than anything else.

\- Yes, but how does your _wolf_ feel about them? – Talia asked with intense green eyes.

That made Stiles stop altogether.

He frowned in concentration, trying to reach his inner wolf and the betas in his mind.

He would have choked if he was drinking water.

He _felt_ them. If he closed his eyes, he could feel the connection bonding them, all seven bright connections, they felt weak compared to his previous pack, but they burned and swirled around him, warming him up as he acknowledged them.

\- I- how- they’re _here_ – he said in amazement as he felt the strings running, bright glowing connections intertwined around him, then he noticed one was stronger than the others, as thick and solid as the connection with his family had been, shining in a bright red, if Stiles closed his eyes, he could trace it right back to some place right beside him, right at where... Derek was.

He stared at Derek’s belly, then his own, knowing that they were connected in some invisible way.

\- You’re here – he whispered and looked at Derek’s eyes, heart beating fast when he realized his wolf was howling in happiness.

\- Took you long enough – Peter muttered and Stiles turned to them again.

\- You knew? – he all but sputtered.

She only smiled, a glint of mischief and knowingness that only mothers possessed.

\- Derek, how does your wolf feel about this? How does your power as an alpha feel?

Then it was turn to Derek pause and run a general check.

He felt incredibly stupid for not feeling Stiles as a pack mate before his mom pointed it out. They were spending a lot of time together and Stiles had taken upon himself the job of storyteller for his-their- pack (that and also the position of Jackson-whisperer according to Scott).

Now he could feel a stable thread between he and Stiles, a string that made his wolf glow and preen while curling around it, protecting it fiercely.

\- It’s ok with the bond – he managed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden wave of protect, mine, _mate._

Wait, mate?

\- It’s more than ok with the bond – he added, feeling choked up.

Peter chuckled and Talia’s smile became brighter.

\- What does that mean? – Stiles asked then, his mind already going over the facts – we’re both alphas, shouldn’t we, you know, go all alpha growly around each other now that I’m part of the pack?

Even as the words left his mouth, he still felt dumfounded over the fact he was now part of a pack again. Derek’s pack.

_I’m Derek’s family now_.

This realization came to him like punch in his gut, a punch of shock and inexplicable happiness.

\- Usually that’s the case, but there is one exception that allows two alphas to run a single pack together, I’m sure you remember it, because it mimics the pack dynamics of a regular wolf pack.

He frowned in concentration, trying to go over all he knew about their history and struggling to find a connection. It didn’t help that all that time Peter watched them smugly.

\- Alpha pair – Stiles said as soon as he remembered, but then he backpedaled squeaking out – wait, _we’re_ an alpha pair?

Peter grinned at his increasingly flustered faces.

\- Yep – he even had the satisfaction of popping the p in the end.

\- But that implies that we’re... – Stiles let his voice trail, gulping as realization downed on him.

He looked at Derek, who was – disturbingly – very quiet.

\- Derek?

But Derek’s expression was thunderous. His expression was the very definition of conflict.

\- You can’t-

That’s all he growled out before getting up and storming out of the room.

Stiles watched in shock and a bit of hurt as his supposed mate left the room because of what they just heard. He thought they were getting somewhere, he still didn’t know where, but now it seemed they got absolutely nowhere, worst, they had actually backtracked and Stiles felt his confusion and uneasiness take over.

He was already swimming in doubt and rejection when Talia reached over to him.

\- Stiles, you are mates.

Her voice was strong and certain, and that pulled him out of his own head.

\- I don’t think he’s happy with that – he said, trembling as he replayed in his head how Derek’s voice sounded, hurt, angry, shocked.

\- No, he isn’t, but not for the reasons you think – Talia patted his knee – he’s still very fond of you.

\- How can he be when he just basically fled the room because he just heard we’re-

He stopped himself, feeling his nerves get to him and his wolf try to slip out, wanting to dash after his mate.

\- Just feel the bond – Talia smiled reassuringly.

Stiles frowned and closed his eyes, to his surprise the string was pretty much still there, firmly attaching them, not even wavering after what had just happened.

\- I don’t understand, he just made it clear he doesn’t want it – he frowned in confusion at the contradiction of the situation.

Talia shook her head, a sad smile coloring her features.

\- You know him Stiles, you watched how he gets when something like this happens, I don’t know why, but since before all of this he doesn’t allow himself to have good things.

Stiles never talked explicitly about it with Talia, not like this, but he nodded in comprehension.

\- All good things he has, he gives to others – Stiles said, thinking a mile a minute, and Talia eyed him in surprise.

\- I never thought about it that way – she then added with a bittersweet tone – such a silly puppy.

Stiles smiled as well, squeezing her hand.

\- Talia, he left the house, he’s going to the forest – Peter interrupted.

She nodded and turned to him again.

\- You need to talk to him, Stiles – her eyes were determined, but her voice had a pleading tone – you need to make him see himself how we see him.

\- But he doesn’t want me right now – Stiles still felt very much glued to the seat and not in the least inclined to approach Derek right now, no matter how much his wolf grew agitated.

Talia shook her head more intensely now.

\- Stiles, sometimes when your mate is lost and runs from you, you can’t let your own insecurities allow him to push you away, you have to believe in you two, even if he doesn’t right now, you have to be strong for both of you.

When he heard that he felt a shiver of realization going through him.

Stiles was the one who always pushed in. Derek was the one always pushing _back_.

His wolf growled in impatience.

He never really managed to break Derek’s wall, just as Derek never managed to stay away for long.

Maybe it was time one of them succeeded.

He was running for the trees before he processed, he had just left Talia and Peter in the library while he jumped from the window and they were on the second floor.

As he watched Stiles sprinting to the forest from the windows, Peter asked in amusement:

\- Were we ever that foolish?

\- Of course we were, you were the one running after Emily.

\- And you were the one running from Robert.

They stood in silence for a while.

As Talia was about to leave the room, Peter spoke up again.

\- I don’t think he ever forgave himself.

People are used to think Peter never took things seriously, but Talia knew it was quite the opposite, her brother was an overthinker that had a tendency to hide his concern with a mask of sarcasm and obnoxiousness.

She nodded in agreement.

\- It’s about time he let it go.

Peter turned to her, concern and seriousness clear in his features. It was rare when he allowed himself to be that transparent. Only Malia and Ray managed that.

\- It’s time for you to let it go as well.

She eyed him, eight years had gone by. Eight years since the day they both lost their mates. Eight years and her wounds seemed healed. That didn’t mean it was an easy thing to let it go.

\- Perhaps.

Peter sighed as Talia left with a puzzled face.

Mother and son, so alike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of angst next ;)


	12. Chapter 12

Derek only knew the sky, only found peace among trees, so he ran.

His throat was clogged up with emotions and he struggled to clear his head enough to not wolf out and lose the last shed of rationality he was clinging on.

Stiles.

His wolf whined and urged him to go back, back to the house, back to Stiles, back to his _mate._

God, he couldn’t, he just _couldn’t_.

Feeling despair running thick in his veins, he let his feet take him away from the house, away from everything.

Of course, Stiles was his mate.

Of fucking course, it had to be him.

Derek ran until his wolf made him freeze and stop still. It wouldn’t budge and let him move further from the house, not the house his mate and pack were on. Not that far away.

He promptly sat against a tree, catching his breath, not because of the run, but because of the dread that was filling him.

How had he been so fucking blind?

He had been too careless, let his guard down because it was _Stiles_ , and everything was good when he was with him.

It had always been that way.

He should have known Stiles would turn out to be someone so important to him.

But he didn’t see it, he didn’t realize what it meant when Stiles jumped him and he submitted in less than a minute, how his wolf didn’t do as much as puff out in pride and joy as Stiles accepted his pack, how _heavenly_ was his scent.

He gripped his hair, wanting to pull it out in frustration.

Stiles, good Stiles, smart Stiles, sassy Stiles.

He wanted to sob, he wanted it so much.

But he couldn’t, he knew he couldn’t.

He revisited every memory he held from when they were younger. Even when neither of them were of age they still had a close relationship, it wasn’t the same he had with Laura or Cora, not like he felt with Paige or Kate as well, not even the same feeling as pack mates.

Stiles felt like home.

Like quiet nights and long conversations, like playfulness and laughter, like sweet and spicy.

And he wanted.

Derek craved it like he never wanted something before.

But that’s how he knew he shouldn’t have it.

He absolutely wouldn’t-

\- Derek?

_Stiles_.

His wolf howled and growled at the fact that Derek was pretty much using all willpower he had to stay right in place, back stuck against the tree.

\- Leave. I don’t wanna talk – he heard himself barking, wincing at how harsh his own voice sounded. But he knew there was no other way of doing this.

He had to put things to a stop now that it was only the beginning, rather than later, when he and Stiles would have... Bonded.

His mind wandered and assaulted him with images that made his body shiver.

\- No.

Derek looked up.

Fuck.

Stiles had _the_ face.

The face he did when he put his mind into something and didn’t stop unless he got it.

\- Stiles, I’m serious, you should leave. Now – he hissed and used some alpha to make his point, complete with full on growling.

\- No.

\- _Stiles_ – he let out in warning before half shifting. He stood and let out a roar to convey his fury.

\- _No._

Stiles eyes were blood red, but he stubbornly refused to acknowledge the call for a challenge, he stood there, still and quiet. His eyes so heavy with emotion that Derek scrambled backwards. He had to use all willpower he had to not just go to Stiles and hold him.

He had to get away.

If he didn’t, he might do something stupid.

But when he turned to bolt, Stiles crashed on him. Catching him by his waist, tackling him to the ground.

Derek didn’t growl, didn’t try to move, he wasn’t even angry that Stiles was basically restricting him. He was so terrified he just laid in the ground, chest hurting as panicked breaths forced air out of his lungs.

\- Hey, hey, it’s ok – Stiles was whispering on top of him, hands on his face, soothing voice – shh everything’s ok.

That made Derek snap.

\- Everything’s _not_ ok! – he roared, his hands balling in fists as he felt his claws digging into his palm.

Stiles took them and spread them open, intertwining their fingers and effectively stunning Derek into silence again.

\- Derek, everything is ok – he said softly.

Derek stared at him, his body starting to shake as he tried to hold in.

\- You don’t understand, we can’t be mates Stiles, we _can’t._

The other alpha held his gaze firmly.

\- Why not?

Derek gulped, wanting to bolt out again.

\- Derek, why not? – Stiles asked again and Derek felt a _pull_.

He went wide eyed as he felt it again and he realized Stiles was pulling his side of the bond, consciously.

As the alpha he’d only ever felt it when one of his betas were in grave danger and were calling him for help. When he felt Stiles thug again, he whimpered.

\- Stop that – he closed his eyes and tried to curl around the bond and protect it.

Stiles answered apologetically.

\- Sorry. I just- Talk to me, tell me what’s wrong.

Derek took a wary breath in.

\- Why not Derek? – he repeated, voice breaking a bit in the end and Derek opened his eyes and his heart clenched as he saw unshed tears on his eyes.

He scrambled to sit and battered Stiles hands when they tried to keep him pinned down.

His arms were tight and around Stiles and something warm and _good_ flooded his chest, unclogging all that was stuck in his throat.

\- I’m sorry – he whispered, cursing himself for being this weak for Stiles, for not being able to stand his tears. He hated them, knowing that now he was the cause for them made this so much more difficult.

\- Why not? – Stiles did not let go, figuratively and literally, because now he had enveloped Derek into his arms too, hugging him as tightly as he was hugged.

\- Because I don’t want you to get hurt – Derek admitted in a terrified low whisper – everything, _everything_ , that I ever loved suffered because of me.

Stiles squeezed him tighter.

\- That’s not true.

If he was his normal self he’d probably laugh sarcastically now, as it was, he only shook, unable to fight the bitter memories.

He took a deep breath and just let it out.

\- Dad and aunt Em deaths were my fault – he confessed, feeling his heart break over it once again – because of me a hunter got too close to us, she got to me and I gave her all she needed to ambush and _attack_ us.

After a stunned pause, he heard Stiles muffled words.

\- Did you take their lives with your own hands? – Stiles words cut him through life claws digging his chest.

\- No – he choked out.

\- Then their deaths are not on you – he put it so simply and yet Derek knew Stiles wasn’t taking it as a light matter, if he said it, it was because he _believed it_ and Derek’s breath caught, because he wanted to believe it.

But he still had more demons inside to let loose.

\- Paige- she was human and she didn’t know about us, she- she discovered the worst way, she didn’t take the bite, she died, by my own hands – he said desperately, before clutching to Stiles, he felt an obsessive compulsion to just show Stiles he wasn’t good, he wasn’t worthy, that everything he touched burned and withered.

\- Did you want her to die? – Stiles asked quietly.

Derek could still remember the dread spread through him as he watched her quickly fade away, he thought that after Kate he could find someone again, but he was wrong.

\- No – he said, feeling the loss of her tear him open.

\- Not on you either – Stiles said softly, but firmly.

\- The pack, I can’t- We lost people already, I can’t protect them – he felt chocked up, every time his pack suffered, he knew it was his fault.

\- Derek, look at them, they’re so strong already, such good people, good _wolves_ , you saw how they acted with Kyle.

Stiles roamed his hands up and down Derek’s back in soothing patterns.

But there was one more thing, something he could’ve never forgiven himself from long ago.

\- I hurt Cora – this time the whisper was so, so low that Stiles had to strain to hear it even if they were as close as two bodies could be without occupying the same space at the same time – we were playing and I-I knew I was stronger, but I didn’t stop, I kept pushing her until... Until she fell.

Stiles remembered that.

They were just cubs rolling around, Derek had taken Cora to the forest and Stiles sulked because he hadn’t been invited. It was dark and the adults were starting to get worried when Derek busted out of the bushes, Cora looked very small in his arms and he looked even smaller holding her.

She had twisted an ankle and hit her head. That was the first time Stiles had seen Derek cry.

Derek was silently crying now too.

\- I can’t let that happen to you too – he gritted out – I tried to protect the pack and they went through so fucking much.

Stiles knew about Allison, Scott had told him one morning when just the two of them were patrolling.

Isaac didn’t talk much, but the little he had said told everything Stiles needed to know about his father and why he was so protective over the little ones.

Lydia never revealed anything too personal over herself, but Talia regarded the banshee with the same respect she treated another alpha and that wasn’t something Talia did for anyone.

\- The pack is alive, alive and well, Derek – Stiles tried, he didn’t know how someone like Derek, such a softie on the inside, could ever pull out the badass vibes so much. It still impressed him how much Derek hardened over the years, but it was all outside. From the inside he was still submerged in his own guilt and demons.

\- Cora is also alive, Laura, your mom, Peter, the Hale pack, they’re all alive and kicking – Stiles clutched Derek’s back – and you love them, don’t you?

Derek didn’t say anything. Stiles took that as a good thing.

\- You love all of them and they’re all fine Derek, you still have your family, your pack, your friends, right here with you. Just like I am too.

Stiles paused, closing his eyes and wishing he could take Derek’s pain away. All of it.

Before he knew what was happening, he felt a paralyzing fear clutch his heart and rob his breath.

Derek tried to scramble away, growling in panic as he felt the relief of the pain being drained from him, but Stiles kept his grip tight and kept taking the pain, the hopelessness, the gut-wrenching dread settle in his stomach.

Derek stopped fighting and his arms trembled, easing the iron hold he had on Stiles body.

When he couldn’t take it anymore, Stiles stopped the pain and sagged against Derek’s body.

\- ’m still here – he mumbled, huffing in exhaustion, letting the feelings loom over him and slowly die inside.

Derek just held on and shook his head.

\- I’m still here – Stiles repeated, while leaning away to get a clear view on Derek’s face – I’m not going anywhere and neither are you.

He declared firmly, eyes steady and resoluted. Fire burned in him and Derek just knew that was a battle he’d lost. He was glad he had lost.

\- It’s not like I _want_ to go – he replied instead.

Stiles looked straight into him. A clear, steady gaze overflowing with emotion.

He looked for so long that Derek had almost forgotten he had even said anything.

\- Then don’t go – Stiles said quietly – stop running.

Derek shuddered. Stiles wasn’t referring only to present time, when he’d just run from the library. Derek hadn’t stopped running since he left his family, since Kate, maybe since even before that.

\- I ran to think – he managed, stubborn to the very end.

\- You can think with me by your side – Stiles still eyed him cautiously like he would up and go at any chance.

\- Easier said than done – Derek mumbled in what would be a playful manner if the air around them wasn’t heavy and charged.

They looked at each other in perfect silence for a while.

\- Do you want this? – Stiles asked in a soft, fragile voice.

Derek saw that as much as Stiles told him he wouldn’t go anywhere, wouldn’t leave, his will wasn’t endless, he was also hurting, he was also unsure. And Derek understood how Stiles had found strength to tackle him to the ground and try to soothe all his worries away.

He understood, because now that Stiles wavered in his own uncertainties, Derek wanted nothing more than to reassure him and mark and scent him so he knew how much exactly he wanted this.

\- It’s never been a matter of want – Derek said instead.

\- Is it because of need then? Because if it is, I don’t think-

\- Stiles – Derek called calmly – you have lived a total of 22 years without me by your side, I’ve also lived 26 years without you as my mate. I think we’ve made it pretty clear we don’t _need_ each other to survive.

Stiles settled again after that.

\- This is different – Derek said as he slowly leaned his forehead against Stiles own forehead.

Relief got Stiles melting against Derek, if there was one thing he absolutely didn’t want, was to chain Derek to his wolf just because they were mates. It had been weighting on his mind since Derek rushed out of the room.

He’d never forgive himself if their bond meant cage and imprisonment for Derek.

If anything, he wanted to free Derek from his weight and carry them with him.

\- I’m sorry – he said after a while – for freaking out.

Stiles only eyed him in playfulness and huffed.

\- Don’t. I was also freaking out. I’m still actually.

Derek smiled a bit at that.

\- Me too.

They chuckled together, feeling relief over the whole crazyness of the situation and stood up, leaving their hands tangled as they walked back to the house.

After a moment of peaceful silence, Stiles spoke up.

\- Can we take this slow? – he was biting his lower lip, genuinely anxious over it. He still couldn’t wrap his mind over the fact he had a real chance on his first love. With a pack. And they liked him back. He could scream in excitement like a freaking lunatic, but his wolf refused to go through the embarrassment.

\- Sure, I still have to date the shit out of you as courtship – Derek replied easily and swung their tangled hands.

Stiles laughed and Derek’s wolf all but _preened_ , because in all this time, he had seen Stiles smile, smirk, chuckle and all, but never once he had heard his loose, relaxed _laughter_. He didn’t realize he missed it so much.

\- Well, jokes on you, because _I’ll_ court the shit out of you – he said, with a big smile plastered over his face.

\- Was that a challenge? – Derek mock growled and squinted at him.

\- No, that was a declaration of war, brace yourself Hale, to be wooed the Stilinsky way – he wiggled his eyebrows in the most goofy, definitely not-sexy, way and Derek laughed.

And if anyone thought it was weird that when they entered they house they were in a heated argument over which setting was the most romantic, an observatory or a beach, while holding hands and smiling like idiots to each other, nobody commented on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so here ends everything I've written so far.  
> I don't intend do drop this, but rate of posting will be kind of slow, I'm trying to make the best of the rest of my vacation, so please be patient :)
> 
> Update: Guys, I've just fixed the format, I'm so sorry you had to go through reading massive chunks of text. I'm still learning how these things works, so please bear with me :P (feel free to leave any other suggestions in the comments).


	13. Chapter 13

There was something deeply satisfying in being present in the alpha meeting.

Surrounded by other eight leader packs, their first betas and their emissaries, Theo stood proudly with a grin.

They were all waiting for alpha Talia, Derek and the mysterious guest to join them. Meanwhile they all got to spread around the clearing, allies were exchanging pleasantries among each other and everybody else was just keeping to themselves.

He’d never seen alphas acting so... _Politely_ with other alphas they didn’t share a friendship bond with. Just the fact that everybody was maintaining their distance in a civilized manner, while away from their pack was impressive. It amazed him and increased his desire to achieve the power and prestige necessary to become a wolf influent enough to achieve such a thing.

To be the one who calls and makes everybody come running. That was the extension of the influence of the Hale matriarch.

One day he’d be greater than Talia Hale, he just knew it deep inside, he was born to command and rule.

It was a surprise when he received the invitation from his emissary, since the circumstances of his ascension were somewhat... Convoluted. He expected to be left alone and ostracized, but he supposed they recognized his authority and included the Raeken pack after all.

Wise of their part, because he was more than willing to disturb the ridiculous peace treat over the territories across country. Werewolves were made to fight and defend their territories.

It was more than time to bring back the pack wars.

When Theon arrived, four other alphas were there already, Tyler Lucena, Donna Price, Sarah Jones and Amy Mori. It was the alliance from the South, four packs that guarded the borders together for centuries now. There were rumors once a year all wolves from all four packs ran together under the full moon of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, but even if it was true, Theon thought it was a waste of time and power, they could easily overthrow half the country if they wanted and not just run around like headless chicken together.

And yet they just sat there, “protecting” the borders.

He wanted to roll his eyes to how predictable they were, arriving together, interacting amongst themselves and just being generally cowards in group.

He was glad to stick to his side of the clearing and ignore them.

When Dena Smith quietly arrived, he remained glued to his position. She was a stern woman, strict and extremely reserved. Nobody knew exactly how many were on her pack, just that it was a big group centuries year old, older than the Hales. She was smart and beyond cautious, he was surprised alpha Talia managed to convince the woman to leave her territory up in the North.

Neil Redmond made his entrance soon after and Theo quickly approached him. The guy was only a few years older and had made a name for himself recently, differently from all the others, he hadn’t inherited his pack or took it from another wolf, he built it from zero.

Just like the other Hale, Derek. They were the ones he was most interested in.

People spoke with reverence about the traditional, huge packs, but in his opinion, there wasn’t any merit on them. Packs had to be conquered with blood and submission, battles and power. Like he had done.

And like him, Neil and Derek were the perfect examples, he had to watch them very closely, because soon it would be his turn.

The last to arrive was alpha Evans, and Theo couldn’t care less. An old wolf from New York who had shared his territory with uncountable other smaller packs. _Shared._

The man was weak, if he were the one in charge of that territory, he would have eaten up all of them already, making all of them submit. What was the point of territories if he was going to share it with dozen other alphas?

Pathetic.

He was making small talk with Neil, when they all felt three wolves making their way to the meeting. What made everyone stop and watch in silence, was the fact that all three were alphas. Which made every single wolf in the clearing wonder which other influent alpha would be attending to the meeting, there were few others willing to discuss things in group and fewer who had a pack big and stable enough to leave their own territories unattended.

It wasn’t a surprise when alpha Talia arrived with her son, but Theo tensed when an unknown alpha came right behind them.

He didn’t walk with his emissary or his beta, which was a clear indication he didn’t have any, because nobody came to this type of meeting alone. It meant admitting publicly you weren’t an alpha capable of possessing a pack, it meant weakness.

And among wolves, weakness was plucked out and eliminated before it became a nuisance.

Theo wasn’t the only one who watched the packless alpha with contempt, but it was alpha Dena who snarled and broke the tense silence:

\- Was is the meaning of this Talia? What is a boundless doing here? – she snarled and more than one wolf growled lowly. Himself included.

Talia didn’t bother to answer her promptly, with her usual calm demeanor that spoke power and control, she greeted everyone:

\- Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I hope you all had an uneventful trip – the politeness would seem useless if they all couldn’t feel the alpha power packed behind every single word of her pleasantries. Theo hated the feeling of Talia’s wolf.

It always felt like being put into place by an elder, reprimanded by an unquestionable higher authority who always resonated deep within his instincts.

Theo watched in disgust as most the wolves settled down and calmed considerably after that. He refused to submit, so he just kept it to himself, fuming in silence.

Still, he couldn’t help but recognize Talia was one hell of an alpha to reign over all of them with just a sentence. He sometimes wondered if he killed her, he’d be able absorb that kind of power. It worked before.

\- As you all know, I’m not here to waste your time or risk this kind of meeting for something mundane. So the only thing I ask from you for the duration of this reunion is for you to _listen_.

Alpha Talia was never one to beat around the bushes, but even for her, this was blunter than usual. Theo narrowed his eyes at her. Was she _nervous_?

He couldn’t catch any sign of distress from her, but that wasn’t any news, she was always good enough to mask her scent and had her wolf so tight leashed that when you scented something, it was because she wanted you to.

The same couldn’t be said about the others though. Neil was pouring curiosity and apprehension over the boundless wolf. Theo wanted to roll his eyes at that, he thought the guy had more control than this.

The other one who didn’t disguise his scent was the pathetic one from New York. Evans was an eccentric wolf to say the least, the old man never bothered to mask himself, always an open book to whoever wanted to read him.

And right now the decrepit wolf was emanating concern and sympathy towards the boundless alpha. Who in turn, surprisingly, was just as collected as Talia and the other Hale themselves. An impressive feat of restraint for someone without a pack.

\- Now, to explain the reason for this meeting, I pass the word to alpha Stilinsky.

With renewed uneasiness all the other alphas watched Talia step away and give space to the packless wolf.

By the looks of the guy, Theo was expecting him to stumble on his words, to stutter and cowl under the scrutiny of a bunch of other powerful alphas. They all expected him to keep it brief and direct and let him step away as soon as possible and give the attention back to Talia.

It was with surprise that they all observed him calmly talk about his pack, introduce them to the previous alpha of his pack, his father and explain his place in his pack before becoming alpha. His clear and steady voice echoed around the clearing when he told them how they were a small family pack and with shock, Theo saw how one by one every single alpha relaxed and listened attentively to this random wolf.

Even Dena seemed moved when the boundless told them about the hunters, how his pack was all eradicated so easily, he spoke softly about children and friends and family, telling the story with just enough hint of emotion to appeal to every single wolf in the meeting.

Theo wasn’t swayed that easily though, he knew what this little shit was doing, using emotion to grab the alphas by heart. The talk about bonds and connections never made sense for him though, alphas held power over betas, more betas meant more power, there wasn’t much behind it in his opinion.

But he kept his silence and observed with caution the wolves around him growl lowly in sympathetic anger as the packless confided them his discovery of an old relic with the Argent crest engraved on it.

Now, _that_ got his attention.

His thirst for blood made his veins pump in excitement. As soon as the Stilinsky wolf seemed done with his little tearful story, he rose from his place and spoke up:

\- The Argents broke the treat, this ensures _war_.

Neil growled approvingly by his side, but the rest seemed more than hesitant to agree.

He was about to call them all cowards, when pathetic Evans asked the boundless, eyeing him in a piercing calculating gaze:

\- Is that why you called us here, alpha Stilinsky? Are you asking us to go to _war_ again?

The old wolf talked as if he was disgusted by it. Theo wanted to throw him out of the clearing, wolves didn’t run from the fray. Wolves _relished_ in violence and battle. This fossil didn’t deserve to be among them.

He watched the lone young alpha asses Evans for a few moments, then he answered:

\- All I ask is for the chance to discover why my pack was targeted when we all know family packs are the last ones interested in crossing hunters. I’m asking for reason and justice, nothing more or less than that.

His voice was strong and firm, but Theo regarded his words as weak. He doubted the wolf had the backbone to go to war, he may be an alpha, but he sure didn’t act like one.

But that seemed enough for Evans, because he stepped back and nodded as if he approved something. Theo scowled at that.

Unsurprisingly Dena spoke next, the she-wolf maintained her rigid posture as she approached the boundless:

\- And how exactly do you expect us to help you achieve this justice? – of course she would be the one to voice such hesitant words. Theo wanted to roll his eyes at her over the top cautiousness.

Talia stepped in and with a rare display of supporting role, she stood by the packless alpha as he gave his answer:

\- We all know the Alliance and the nature of the treat. We know we’ve been following it and doing our part when we abide to their Code and let them hunt each and any of us who don’t. Until now we didn’t have any reason to believe they weren’t following it as well.

“I don’t care if they say we’re living in peaceful times, as a wolf I know, as all of you know too, that even after the Alliance, hunters prefer to see us as simple beasts, quick to kill and fast to descend into feral mindlessness. They see themselves as the rational ones, the ones who control and wait for _us_ to slip up. Except _they_ have slipped up now, they killed innocent people, and although I have seen it myself, we all know they won’t listen to that, they’ll dismiss it as just another wolf blind with grief, unable to accept his packmates weren’t following the code and I would be lucky if I even got to make an Argent listen to me. And that’s all I want. I want to make them _listen_ , to give them irrefutable proof that somewhere, one of them has fucked up. Then I want to see what they’ll do about it.”

By the end of his speech, they could taste in the air an icy cold settle around the boundless wolf. It made Theo’s wolf recoil and snarl in defense. He realized it was fury, rage so intense and thick that made the hair of his neck stand up. And it wasn’t only him who felt it.

All other alphas were regarding the Stilinsky guy with new eyes. This wasn’t a mindless alpha about to descend to feral omega. No, he had been calm while telling his story. But while his grief showed, he also wasn’t a poor, victimized, lost wolf. He was something else entirely.

Strong and collected, smart and furious.

They all knew this wolf was a force to be reckoned with.

\- Where’s your irrefutable proof then? – one of the wolves from the borders broke the silence, Donna, the one who always seemed to speak for the other three.

Stilinsky grinned at her ferociously, a smile that didn’t reach his sharp eyes. He fumbled briefly with his pockets and produced a shiny locket stained with dirt and blood stored safely inside a plastic bag.

But through the hermetic sealed bag, it smelled strongly of wolfsbane and gunpowder, scents that combined, would have made it clear this belonged to a hunter, if the big Argent crest didn’t give it away.

\- We found it next to a lake near the place they buried my pack. Whoever owned this was in the attack. I can recognize the smell trapped inside it.

Before anybody could say anything, five other figures emerged from the trees, making all alphas growl loudly in warning.

\- My... My... It seems my invitation got lost in the way, lucky you, I still made it on time.

The wolf wore glasses and the accent dripped from his voice.

Everybody was still too stunned to react, but all of a sudden, a deafening roar startled them and they watched in shock Derek Hale shift into beta form and position himself between them and their intruder.

\- Manners, Deucalion, I see you still haven’t learned them.

Theo was just processing that _this_ was the infamous Demon Wolf, when he realized who the old lady who had just spoken was.

Even he, who held absolutely no respect towards old ass wolves, knew who she was.

The oldest of their kind, the wisest, and the one who single handedly ended the dispute over the territories all over the country. The one who sealed the treat and negotiated the terms with the Argent Matriarch _in person_. The one who was now standing among them, looking like an innocent old lady.

God, she looked like she was in her sixties instead of hundreds year old.

And despite her amused words, every single wolf in the clearing gulped and felt an overwhelming need to _submit_. And Theo was now fearing for the so called Demon wolf, because he seemed to be seriously struggling to not tilt his head up and expose his jaw to the old lady.

\- You can calm down, young man. I can personally assure this pup won’t do any harm under my watch.

Derek Hale was wise to shift back and quietly retreat to his mother’s side. Even if Theo considered himself a competent, self-assured, alpha, he still felt like retreating back to _his_ mother’s side too just to be on the presence of Talia Hale, the Demon Wolf _and_ Eldest.

It was becoming a bit too much.

\- Eldest, it’s an honor – Talia spoke stepped up and it felt good that she was the one being the center of the attentions again.

Theo was certain _he_ didn’t want it.

\- Talia, Arthur – the old lady nodded at them in acknowledgement, then turned to the rest of them – I apologize for the sudden interference, I was around and stumbled upon this one, who informed me the nature of the meeting. It was a good thing I happen to attend as well.

No matter how much the woman smiled sweetly and innocently at them, Theo _knew_ there was nothing coincidental on all this. The Eldest had caught Deucalion somewhere and made him talk one way or the other.

Theo didn’t even want to think of what transpired between them.

\- I may have some additional information regarding the issue you’ve been facing – she still was smiling, but her eyes were as sharp as blades, flicking with something dangerous.

\- Do you know why they have attacked my pack? – Stilinsky spoke up and Theo saw the exact time he regretted ever opening his mouth. It was the same moment the Eldest turned her head slowly to analyze him.

If he didn’t squirm one bit before, now he seemed deeply uncomfortable, all twitchy and nervous.

\- I’m sorry, I’m afraid what I have doesn’t regard what happened to your family. It regards many other packs. They are disappearing one by one, just like yours. It didn’t happen only to you, pup. It’s happening all over the country.

While everybody else was busy shocked, Theo felt the itch calling him again. This was his chance, the perfect opportunity to get his well-deserved glory.

\- Then we go to war! – he declared, his wolf agitated and roaring inside, anxious to sink his fangs into something.

\- And then what? Target the Argents? Throw away years of peace away? – Evans stood up and Theo snorted at the man’s audacity to go against him. Who did he think he was?

\- Well, do you prefer to stand idly and watch they hunt us down? How long do you think it’ll take for them to start aiming for bigger packs? – He snarled back – I’m not afraid of war, I’m not a coward, like some of us.

\- Get over yourself, boy, you may stand among us, but you, young blood, know nothing of war, blood and death.

They were both facing each other then, each flashing their red tinted eyes and pushing their alphas out.

Theo was about to pounce at the pathetic old excuse of a wolf, when something cold splashed over his head, then a very high-pitched sound made his ears tingle in sharp pain and discomfort. He put both hands on his ears and recoiled on himself.

Only after the awful shriek stopped, he lowered his hands slowly and looked up.

\- Well, that was louder than I thought it would be.

Stilinsky guy stood next to him, holding a dog whistle. A _fucking dog whistle_. And a bottle of water.

\- I think that was enough, thank you, alpha... – the Eldest startled him from his stunned shock and she sounded so amused that he felt his ears burn in humiliation.

\- Stilinsky – the boundless provided promptly.

\- Thank you alpha Stilinsky, I think that was a good enough demonstration why war wouldn’t be desirable right now. Before, we didn’t know the peace and the assurance that comes with it. Now, I’m sure the packs will be more than willing to avoid it. Perhaps we can work towards a resolution to this with minimum bloodshed.

Theo tuned out after hearing that.

He was burning with silent rage. He had just been treated like a fucking dog, by the goddamn packless wolf. The weakest one of them all.

This wouldn’t end there. His wolf snarled and snapped when he thought of Stilinsky guy looking down on him. Nobody messed with him and got away.

Stilinsky had to pay.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he only realized they had all agreed this was a much more complex matter to be discussed in just one night and would meet again tomorrow morning, when the wolves started to exit the clearing.

Still feeling rage boiling in his body, he was on his way to his car, when he heard someone approaching him.

To his surprise, Deucalion stepped out of the woods and approached him. He knew his reputation, but at the time he was too pissed off to care about it, so he heard himself growling out:

\- What do you want?

The Demon Wolf grinned at him, seemingly amused with something.

\- Can’t handle a packless wolf on your own?

Theo growled loudly and half shifted right on the spot.

\- If I were you, I’d shut up right now if you don’t want to end up like Stilinsky will.

Deucalion lifted an eyebrow at that, amused tone never leaving his voice.

\- Oh, and what do you have reserved for the boundless?

Theo huffed at that, anticipating how great it would feel to sink his claws on the other wolf’s chest.

\- He will pay for what he did. How exactly, it’s not your business.

Deucalion’s grin widened, but his next words came out lowly and menacing:

\- Stilinsky is _mine_.

That made Theo pause for a moment. The other wolf’s voice wasn’t just enlaced with the possessiveness related to claiming a kill, it was something other than that. Something that intrigued him.

\- What did he do to you? – he asked, curiosity reigning over and letting him shift back.

Deucalion snorted at his question.

\- It’s not what he did, but what he will do.

Theo could stare at the cryptic words, apparently his silence only ensured Deucalion’s words to keep going, because he continued:

\- Don’t you know what the most powerful packs in our history had all in common? Haven’t you heard the stories?

Theo frowned in confusion and kept to his silence, unsure where this was going.

\- Alpha pairs – Deucalion said, a chilling smirk taking his face – Stilinsky is the rare case of an alpha who isn’t already bound to a pack, so he can join any other without the inconvenient additional extra, and he’s also level-headed enough that even after losing his pack, he’s not falling to omega. He is an opportunity. And he is _mine_. Is that clear?

The older wolf was emanating a dangerous, threatening low growl. Theo could understand why he earned the name, because that was an awful aura he was releasing.

He backed away and answered easily:

\- Understood. I take away my threats.

Deucalion just kept that creepy smile plastered on his face and sank back to the shadows of the trees.

But if thought he would stay clear of Stilinsky, the Demon Wolf was wrong.

Theo had finally found his opportunity.

What better way to make Stilinsky pay, then to make him submit to his wolf by claiming him to his own pack? Take him and tame the stupid cheeky packless in order to get the most powerful pack in their times.

Alpha pair was his opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand, plot sneaks in!  
> I was really struggling how to make Stiles tell his story again without making it repetitive and in the end decided that a shift of POV was necessary.  
> And what better way than getting the bad guys to come out and hint at the storm brewing in?
> 
> Just so you guys know, I've never reached the point in the series where Theo or Deucalion appear, so I'm pretty much running on wiki facts and my impression of the characters from what I've read from other fics, I'm sorry if they aren't spot on, but I did what I could ;/
> 
> Also, I barely had the time to write this, so I'm sorry if you spot some mistakes, I'll go over it again during this week and correct stuff.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm a bit late, it was a busy weekend and although the chapter was written, I didn't get to review it in time on Sunday.  
> So here it is, we're back to familiar pov, hope you enjoy it :)

Stiles giggled as he escaped Derek’s grasp and lunged in to tackle him.

\- Get a room – Peter grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Scott eyed his alpha fondly and followed Talia Hale’s leading by just keep walking and ignoring the two giant puppies who were supposed to be respectable alphas.

\- Oooh he speaks! – Stiles exclaims from his current spot on Derek’s back, being carried piggy-back style after climbing on and insistently hanging on more like a monkey than a wolf.

Which should look weird, since he’s almost the same height as Derek and had long legs clasped around his torso in a total not innocent piggy-back style. But somehow, they still pull it off as cute and childish. Who’d ever guessed when you mix one broody alpha with an obnoxious loud alpha you get extra fluffiness all over the place?

\- I’ve never seen uncle Peter so quiet in my life – Derek pipped in, ogling the older wolf in a mix of amusement and curiosity.

\- Are all alpha meetings like this? It almost seemed like there weren’t any beta in there – Stiles asked with a tilted head leaning on Derek’s shoulder.

Scott snorted at the way his alpha was clearly relishing in the contact and answered:

\- I’ve never been to an alpha meeting, but I can tell you I can’t ever imagine myself speaking up with all of your alpha thing going on.

He then grimaced and Peter shot a brief understanding look at him before complementing:

\- Scott’s right, if we wanted to say something, if we had an idea, heck, even if we’d just figured out the cure for cancer, we wouldn’t be able to say it out loud. Being among so many alphas makes betas... Nervous.

\- You mean, it makes us want to either jump in front of our alpha to protect them, jump at the other alphas that threaten them or jump to drag them out of dangerous territory – Scott’s grimace only deepens and he shakes himself off, like he could physically get rid of the feeling.

\- Whoa, that bad huh? – Stiles says in surprised tone – I felt reasonably fine, a little nervous at the beginning, but as soon as I stepped in, I just got over it, I guess.

Peter huffed, but his voice was coated in badly covered pride when he said:

\- Yeah, we all could see that. I bet if we let you, we’d still be hearing you talk. Never thought you could actually get someone to actually _listen_ to the amount of words you blurt.

Stiles turned his head to give him the stinky eye and Peter returned with an unamused tilt of eyebrows. They continued with their silent stare battle until Derek said thoughtfully:

\- Maybe it’s because your dad often brought you along with him to these type of meetings –he was still looking ahead while carrying Stiles’ ass across the forest, which is why he missed how Peter suddenly turned to carefully watch Stiles’ expression. Nobody really talked about the Stilinsky pack. Not in this light, casual, way.

Talia didn’t turn, but Peter didn’t miss how she subtly took a slightly deeper breath in, definitely trying to get a read on Stiles and paying more attention to the conversation than she was letting on.

Even Scott seemed to notice that his alpha was unknowingly threading through thin ice, because all of sudden he seemed very interested on keeping his eyes on the road.

But Stiles only emanated calm, affection and just a hint of sadness. A faint smile tilting the corner of his mouth upwards and a soft tone colored his voice when he spoke next:

\- Yeah, maybe. Once, we had to mediate two ally packs that were having problems with negotiations over territories. I remember feeling almost suffocated when we met the two other alphas at the same time, but maybe it was because one of them stank so bad of incense and we agreed to meet at his apartment.

Derek hummed and Talia’s shoulders sagged a bit in relief at the words.

While Stiles had indeed been healing over time, family was still a very sensitive topic that had to be approached carefully. Such a normal reaction to his son’s words were the best kind of surprise.

Peter completely masked his previous concern when talked again in his usual nonchalant way:

\- If you felt that bad with only three alphas in one room, imagine having to face nine alphas who you were expecting, then two others who you _weren’t_ expecting, now take into account that one is knows as _Demon Wolf_ and the other is the _Eldest_. I’m surprised no beta lost their shit on this particular meeting.

Talia then turned slightly and everybody watched as she put a single finger in front of her lips, in a universal “shh” sign, before saying:

\- Of course nothing happened, all packs involved were respectful ones. They wouldn’t act with disregard over etiquette or lose control so easily.

They all mumbled agreements and shifted the conversation to safer, mundane topics, aware that the older Hale had picked on something, or more likely _someone_ , eavesdropping while they made their way back to the house.

As they were approaching official Hale lands, Stiles caught a scent in the wind, it smelled like something ferocious, hungry and desperate. He had to bite back a growl and Derek tightened the hold on his legs upon feeling Stiles body tensing a bit and the stress in his scent.

Silently now, they hurried to the house in a discrete, fast, but not frantic, pace. Only when the door closed behind their back and Talia made sure all wards were still locked in place that they all relaxed.

Stiles was still hunched over Derek, but his eyes were systematically glaring the line of trees that surrounded the house. He thought he had caught on something, but the shadow quickly mixed against the trees and he lost it.

\- What was that? Was someone following us back here? – Scott asked, serious voice and boyish manner gone. This was Derek’s second speaking.

But Talia shook her head and nodded upstairs.

They all frowned a bit in confusion, but followed her nonetheless. The house was empty, the rest of both packs agreed that the Hale house was a bit too close to comfort to the place of meeting and if things went south, it was better to mobilize a front to protect the cubs and the rest of their family first.

That didn’t mean they weren’t ready to aid their alphas if anything happened though. Half a dozen of wolves stayed behind, three from Derek’s pack, three from Talia’s.

That’s how they found Jackson, Boyd and Kira with Laura and two of the best fighters of Talia’s pack: Steve and James.

Except James wasn’t in the living room with them, Talia didn’t seem to find it strange and proceeded deeper into the house, the rest of the betas held serious expressions and Laura just nodded in silence to the direction her mother had gone.

They didn’t need to be told twice.

That meant they were going to the office library, the only place in the house with sound-proof walls thick enough to block all sounds, a place rarely used by a pack as open as the Hale pack.

Secrets were rare and only existed to either protect the pack of a danger that would increase if more people had the potential to freak about it or to deal with private matters that were better dealt in the comfort of four walls.

As they poured inside, they all took a moment to do a double take on the person idly sitting comfortably on the comfy armchair at the corner.

Unsurprisingly, James was there already and stood with an open posture, even if he had a shell-socked expression plastered all over his face.

Stiles supposed the man should get an award, because it wasn’t every day the Eldest decided she wanted to enter the heart of pack territory while your alpha wasn’t present. He also thought the man was brilliant when he spotted the tea and the cookies on the table.

Nobody else seemed inclined to eat and after he received an almost exasperated allowing look from Talia, he finally climbed out of Derek’s back and made a beeline for the cookies, while the alpha matriarch broke the silence:

\- Eldest, it’s good to see my wolves have received you well – leave it to Talia to smoothly make it sound as if she’d always planned to meet there, while looking like the most graceful host in the world, not outright demanding to know what the elder wolf was doing there, as someone like Dena would have done right off the bat.

The old lady inclined her head and her eyes were amused when she said:

\- Please, we’re not in the middle of the woods anymore, call me May, alpha Talia.

God, this lady had an awesome aura. During the meeting and discussing the numerous cases of missing packs, Stiles had only felt the absolute control and smothering power pouring off the elder wolf, pressure intimidating him and making him gulp frequently in reflex, but now that they were in an enclosed, more relaxed environment, his nose took in her gentle scent.

It curled around him and he could tell she smelled like old, sacred woods, of paper with a trace of honey, her wolf felt immense and overwhelming, but unlike before, now he could almost feel like it spread its giant paws and tail around the room, engulfing everybody in a protective curl. It somehow reminded him of being embraced by his parents and spending full moons with his family.

A small, quick pang on his chest forced him to gulp tea down to try and unknot his throat.

\- I apologize for my unannounced presence, but I’m afraid these kind of problems are better discussed in privacy.

Talia nodded and wisely kept her silence, not confirming it was kind of rude to just barge in another alpha’s house, but not trying to cover it with false pleasantries, the matriarch just simply sat down and watched.

Following her lead, all the others took seats, the betas took their leave quickly and after their talk, neither Derek or Stiles questioned their reasons.

\- I’m sure that you, as all packs do, know that I personally handled the peace treat with the Argent Matriarch and settled the matters regarding the Alliance – they all nodded and the woman kept going in a casual tone – however, not all know the nature of my relationship with Arlette.

Stiles felt his eyebrows rising to his hairline and stopped munching on his cookie.

The oldest wolf alive and the highest authority on hunter world?

\- Our friendship is old and close knitted, we’ve been planning this treat for decades and were thrilled went it finally happened. This war between wolves and hunters should’ve ended a long time ago and we were glad when both sides agreed, even if hesitantly at first, to its terms.

Her eyes darkened a bit and the temperature of the room seemed to drop, when she continued in grave tone:

\- But not everyone was happy with it. We expected wolves to defy the hunters’ code and hunters to use their rules as an excuse to kill, but after a few years, both me and Arlette seemed to have made it clear that this treat was absolute, and no transgressions would be allowed be it from the wolves side or the human side.

Stiles shuddered, this had all taken place about twenty years ago, he was just a baby then and didn’t remember the dramatic happening, but he grew up hearing spine chilling stories of whole packs being striped away from their everything because they rebelled against the treat, the Eldest didn’t lay a single finger on them, their punishment was executed in another way: They were all exiled.

Which meant all other packs cut ties with the rebel one, no allies to aid you against other creatures, no counselling when dealing with internal issues, no right to choose an Emissary, because they weren’t supposed to interact with _anybody_ , no support if the human world caught up with supernatural business.

If you crossed the Alliance, you were alone in the world. And that, for werewolves, who were all about closeness, protection and loyalty, was the most terrible nightmare a pack could face.

He also heard stories whispered among the adults about hunters. Their punishment for ignoring the treat was way more personal and definitely physical than the wolves one. It told stories of imprisonment and _reeducation_. Of restricting spells and curses to bind the ones who insisted on their mistake and on ultimate execution on the worst cases.

Stiles was a kid when he took it all in and at the time he didn’t understand how humans could hurt their own so badly, but now he saw that exiling a pack was just as cruel as physical torture.

He realized now that most, if not all, exiled packs from years ago had vanished, either because hunters acted on them, following their code, or they perished, scrambling as each wolf left to try and survive on your own, or slowly dying together when they couldn’t maintain their territory or were targeted by other supernatural creatures that sensed their weakness.

It was all very brutal and unforgiving, and yet Stiles could see how that was the only possible solution for putting in line two sides of a long-fought war.

\- Things settled down and were quiet for the last decade, however, we’re still vigilant and that’s the reason we caught on it when it started happening again. It didn’t come unnoticed by us the dangerous rising of the so-called alpha pack and also the vanishing of small, silent, packs.

The Eldest turned to Derek and looked him straight in the eyes with such an unfaltering gaze that Stiles wondered how he was resisting the pressure of her wolf.

\- I, in name of both the wolves’ front and the hunters’ front, personally thank you, alpha Hale, for taking care of the alpha pack. It was a rising problem that neither me or Arlette knew how to deal with, given how Deucallion always carefully planned his actions in order to never involve humans or hunters, just wolves.

Derek shook his head and his voice was low when he spoke next:

\- I don’t deserve your gratitude, Deucallion left alive when I was too distracted and after today, I don’t think he’s done with causing problems.

May smiled fondly at his words, as if she expected him to say exactly that.

\- Darling, we don’t blame you for not killing him, it’s also known to us that a Darach was involved and after going through a close encounter with suck a vicious being, it’s not a surprise that he slipped away in the middle of the chaos. The simple fact that most of your pack is alive is a feat in itself.

Derek’s head still shook to deny her words, but he didn’t say more and his eyes were a bit glazed with emotion. Stiles pressed his body closer to him and felt with relief when Derek gratefully pressed back, hands slightly shaking.

Stiles wondered if May knew how much Derek hated compliments and dealt bad with someone acknowledging his actions. He knew now that all that had deep roots tracing back to Derek’s childhood and understood that only time would begin his healing, but receiving such words from such a wise figure must’ve shaken his world and broken some of his self-doubt lines of thought.

Stiles could only hope.

\- For now, I’ve got my eyes on Deucallion, and if it depends on me, the only pack he’ll ever have will be strictly betas, that is, if nobody comes for him before that.

To say that the Demon Wolf had pissed off people was an understatement. Stiles doubted Derek was the only one wishing the guy had died with his alpha pack delusion and Derek probably wasn’t alone either in the idea of bringing alpha down.

\- Our main problem right now are the hunters. As I’m sure alpha Stilinsky is aware, and as I’ve said before, someone has been meticulously selecting smaller, less influential packs across the country. But recently they made a mistake, and that misstep is you, Mr. Stilinsky.

Alpha May looked at him and it took Stiles two beats to realize that now he was “Mr. Stilinsky”. Cleaning his hands from the cookie crumbles, he asked:

\- Their mistake was because they failed to kill me?

The Eldest shook her head and her eyes glinted:

\- No. They failed the minute they chose the Stilinsky pack.

He didn’t think this was common flattery, their pack was a family pack, they didn’t fight for territories, the shared it with a dozen other smaller packs, they avoided bloodshed and talking and negotiating was more practiced than maiming and growling, which got them their reputation of being too friendly for their kind.

To some it was a compliment, others saw it as a weakness, Stiles just considered a part of who they were.

\- I don’t understand – he mumbled in confusion.

Now May was smiling at him mischievously, and he wondered how many secrets you get to hold when you’ve lived as long as she had.

\- Because of my reputation, I can’t always walk around using my real name. It’s very common for me to change identities depending of where I go and my intentions there. When I chose to lecture Politics and International Diplomacy at NYU people called me Megan and back then it wasn’t uncommon for me to exchange letters with friends.

Stiles was still trying to understand where all that was going, New York? University? Letters? That’s when it hit him: All the letters his mom kept in a box with their photo albums, all from the times as a student, when she was just a human unaware of the supernatural.

Or so he thought.

\- Aunt Meg? – he squeaked out, feeling slightly light headed.

The Eldest, alpha May, the one who arrived at an alpha meeting with the Demon Wolf in a tight leash, and _aunt Meg_ , who always sent him a present for his birthday every single year until today and also made sure to send flowers on his mom’s, were the same freaking person.

He was aware he was gaping like a stupid goldfish, eyes fixed on the woman in front of him with a wildly confused expression, but he still couldn’t do anything about it.

Talia and Derek were eyeing both of them with surprise and faint amusement.

Alpha May, no, _aunt Meg_ smiled warmly at him and said:

\- Yeah, I was surprised when one my favorite students and close friends stumbled upon my world. She took it all with grace though and I always made sure to know how your pack was doing.

Stiles still wasn’t sure if it was proper to hug the hell out of the alpha smiling at him, so settled on staring at her in amazement and send her mental hugs.

\- Did she know about you? – he knew his mom and aunt Meg had been close, but for as long as he lived, he’d never seen her face or heard her voice, when he asked, his mom told him they only wrote to each other every now and then. A friendship from the past, his mom always said.

Aunt Meg shook her head and answered:

\- No, after your dad, she kept a distance between us. She remembered me as her human professor and friend, someone not even close to the werewolf world. I’m sure if we ever saw each other again, she would recognize me for what I am in an instant, but I didn’t want to bring attention to your pack unnecessarily, if the Eldest came to visit, others would come after you.

Stiles nodded and understood.

Being the oldest wolf didn’t guarantee your authority. Sure, most wolves and packs out there recognized and respected her figure, but apart from the matter of the Alliance, the Eldest had no real power to simply rule over others, just as Talia had allies and enemies looking to take over her territory, he supposed the Eldest also faced her own kind of threats.

\- That’s why, when you were all suddenly gone for so long, I knew something was wrong – her eyes saddened then, and Stiles wanted to take her hand – losing your pack was something I never thought could happen and I was convinced I had failed my friendship with your mother.

Aunt Meg’s words weirdly reminded Stiles of Derek. And maybe that’s why she did understand him and knew which words to say to him.

When she looked up again, her eyes were clear and determination painted her features.

\- There are hunters working against the Alliance, possibly they are _in_ the Alliance as well. Arlette has been keeping a close watch on her council, she’s aware of the transgressions happening, but until now our hands were tied. They’re smart, always leaving without a trace but a trail of death. No witness, no survivors, no scent. Except now we do.

“You’re the only one so far who’s been in contact with them and lived to tell the story, the only wolf capable of recognizing their scent and stable enough to actually be able to convince the Council of the hunter’s transgressions. You were right in calling the alpha meeting, something this big, with this level of planning isn’t a small matter and accusations without backing proof will only stir tempers and fuel war. It would be our word, against theirs. The only way to avoid it is with our brains and not our claws.”

Stiles nodded in agreement. Using his head and not giving to bloodthirst was definitely something he could do.

At the meeting he expected a lot more growling and animosity among wolves, it surprised him greatly to see how civilized things had been, even if he did have to resort to his trusty dog whistle.

The face of that Theo guy had been priceless.

Politics, talk and dancing around words he could do. Easily.

The only difference is that now he wasn’t messing with Peter, joking with other betas or playing with politics among small packs. Now he was diving head first into the big game amongst alphas.

He felt the pressure of the high stakes in the table, but strangely it only gave him a rush of excitement and adrenaline instead of fear and anxiousness, which should be the usual, but somehow it wasn’t in this case.

Aunt Meg eyed him approvingly and said:

\- You’re a very odd wolf, Stiles – he didn’t know if he should take it as a compliment, so he just raised an eyebrow at her words – Claudia was also a very odd person, very intelligent, curious beyond relief, but extremely opinionated about the most random topics. A force to be reckoned with, if she put her mind into it. I’ve never heard of a human who refused the bite because she thought it would make the pack weaker. I swear, your father’s alpha didn’t know what he was getting into.

Stiles heart hurt with the memories that flooded his mind.

His mom was all those three things aunt Meg had said and so much more. That was how his mom looked almost all the time: A strong-willed woman whose smile was dazzling and smarts even brighter.

Stiles could remember as if it were yesterday, how one day she decided to abolish all kinds of unhealthy food from their diet.

He also remembered how his dad dreaded the tofu, the soy-based food and fatless meat on their table.

Despite his whining and protesting, she insisted on healthy food and with time she managed to emulate the taste of bacon so well that his dad just kept whining to tease her.

\- I only talked to your dad once. He didn’t know exactly who I was, but he was a smart man, he figured out I was someone out there and had my reasons to keep my distance – her eyes drifted a bit and Stiles knew she was seeing his dad’s face on her memories – that day we talked a little bit about everything, but mainly about you and Claudia.

“He knew that you was capable of rolling with whatever life threw at you, just like your mother. Both of them had talked about your future and although they thought being an alpha suited you, they were ok with letting you do whatever you wanted with your life.

Despite their decision, looking at you now and having heard your words at the meeting, I can’t imagine you being anything but what you are right now. You may be an alpha, Stiles Stilinsky, but not because you can’t obey or yearn to lead, but because of your desire to _help_. And that’s what separates alphas from _alphas_.”

As her words sank in, Stiles felt the hair of the end of the back of his neck stand and he blinked furiously, feeling his eyes burning.

He never talked about so far in the future with his mom, at the time he didn’t think of it and at the end they avoided talking about the things she wouldn’t get to see.

On the other hand, he had discussed it plenty with his dad, the negotiations over his choice on university had taken _months_ and when he came back with a degree, the arguments over his profession were a constant verbal ping pong battle, his dad always insisting he shouldn’t worry about the pack and just do his thing, while Stiles insisted on freelancing and less static jobs.

And even if they had indeed gone through different possibilities and options, his dad had never voiced his expectations for his future. He never pushed in a specific direction.

Maybe Stiles should have asked before and heard from his dad himself, but hearing it from aunt Meg felt like he was receiving words of advice from both his mom and dad.

The final pieces of wisdom they gifted him.

The sudden emotion overtook him and a couple of tears fell without him meaning to, he was quick to wipe them away, but Derek intertwined their fingers just as fast.

Aunt Meg smiled at him and clasped his other hand among both hers.

\- I don’t need to tell you how much they’re proud of who you’ve become. I’m sure that you know how much they loved you – her eyes then went real soft and something deep and sad flicked through her expression before vanishing – I promise you, that we’ll do everything we can do to get justice not only for the Stilinsky pack, but all the other packs who’ve suffered the same fate.

Stiles swore he could feel the hot breath of a wolf against his neck and he could only smile shakily at her, nodding in affirmation.

He wasn’t alone.

He had allies and friends and family.

He had Talia, Peter, Laura, Cora and all her pack, he had aunt Meg, he had a _pack_ , he had _Derek_.

And after a long time, breathing felt easy and life tasted, not exactly sweet, but less like a burden and surviving, but it tasted like living and experiencing.

Taking a deep breath, Stiles felt his wolf shaking with anticipation.

He was ready again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aand the plot thickens.  
> I have the general direction I want to take with the story pretty much nailed down, but there are many steps open to surprises. The whole Eldest thing was one of them, but in the end it fit my plans pretty well.


End file.
